A Cinderella Story
by A-Graceful-Rose
Summary: This is a Dramione fanfic but with a 'Cinderella Story' plotline. So, I'm not using an original plotline or my own characters. Basically Hermione and Draco correspond through letters and neither one knows whom the other one is.
1. Chapter 1

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter One

It was early in the morning; before breakfast. Draco wandered up the spiral staircase to the owlery, letter in hand. He ran his pale fingers along the parchment as he stared at the stone steps. Suddenly, he bumped into someone; knocking them backwards.

"Ouch!" Hermione Granger exclaimed as she landed on a step, hitting her coccyx. Hard. She looked up and saw Draco, who sneered at her.

"Move Granger." He snarled, stomping past without even offering a hand to help her up.

"Inconsiderate idiot." Hermione mumbled under her breath as she got up and continued to descend down the stairs.

Up in the owlery Draco sighed. He'd lived up to his reputation once again. He scowled as he tied the letter to the foot of one of the school owls. The large barn owl glared at him questionably. Draco hadn't addressed the letter and he hadn't told the owl who to send it to.

"I don't care." Draco murmured to the owl as he stroked the owl's feathers in a tender way. "I don't care which witch or wizard this letter goes to. They won't even know it's me. All I need is someone to read about what I'm going through. Choose who you like. It doesn't bother me." He held out an owl treat which the owl took gratefully before hooting and flying out of the window.

Draco left the owlery in the same fashion Hermione had done. He didn't bump into anyone.

In the great hall, Hermione entered muttering angrily to herself. She sat down next to Ron and Harry out of routine.

"Alright 'Mione?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head. "What's up?"

"I just delivered a letter and on my way out of the owlery Draco knocked me down and didn't even offer to help me up. He is such an arrogant ass. Just because he's rich and popular he thinks he can do what he likes. Well, he can't. Idiot." She grumbled angrily as she spread some butter on her toast. The boys exchanged glances. They were used to Hermione ranting and raving about all sorts of things. They continued to eat breakfast without saying another word to her.

After a few minutes Draco walked in. Heads turned, eyes widened. Hermione sighed at the school's reaction. What made Draco so great? She shook her head to herself. She couldn't believe it. Everyone knew his father was a Deatheater. Most people knew he himself was one, and that it was his duty to kill Dumbledore last year but he had failed. Yet, when he returned for their seventh year; he was welcomed back as some kind of god! Hermione frowned as she chewed on her toast. She watched Draco strut over to his seat at the Slytherin table and wrap an arm around Pansy Parkinson; his almost equally popular girlfriend. Hermione glanced around at the expressions of adoration that most of the Slytherins wore. She saw the same look on a couple of Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor student's faces. Hermione started muttering under her breath and both Ron and Harry all knew what it was about.

Meanwhile on the other table Draco was acting up to his usual reputation. His eyes scanned the great hall in a cool, relaxed manner. A few people copied him, and Draco found himself both amused and disgusted. He hoped his letter would find someone.

Hermione crossed her fingers under the table. She'd poured her heart out into a letter last night, and sent it off this morning with no address. She was wondering who'd get it. It could go to any wizard or witch in the entire world; well maybe not the entire world. She couldn't see one of the school owls going off to Africa or Australia. No. The owl was probably delivering it to some witch in London or Bristol. Hermione didn't mind who got it. She just wanted someone to read about what she was going through, how she felt. Hermione put her elbow on the table and rested her head upon her palm. She'd left no name. Only a nickname she'd invented. The owl delivering the letter knew her nickname and knew that it was her, so that if anyone ever addressed a letter to her nickname, it would be delivered straight to her. Hermione groaned into the palm of her hand. There was no way anyone would reply to her letter. Why would they? Who would listen to the ranting and ravings of a muggle-born witch who was top of her year, and misunderstood by everyone? Even her best friends. Hermione felt her eyes water with tears. She picked her bag off the floor, ready to leave the hall, but stopped. The post had arrived, and an owl had just dropped a letter in front of her.

'_Odd'_ Hermione thought '_How very odd. Why is there a letter for me? No-one writes to me. My parents don't. Ron and Harry, my only friends, are both at school with me. So why on earth have I received a letter?'_ Hermione picked the parchment up and turned it over with her hands. '_Especially a letter that isn't signed with my name. It doesn't say Hermione. Therefore it can't be for me. Maybe it's a mistake. It must not be for me. So…do I read it or not?'_ Hermione asked herself. She found herself opening the letter. Her eyes scanned the page as she sat back down.

**To whom ever this letter reaches.**

**I'm lost. I'm confused. And I'm misunderstood. And I needed someone to read my feelings, because I have no-one whom I can tell them to.**

**I don't know who I am, only who I am meant to be. Everyone expects so much of me. Everyone expects me to go down one particular path. My father wanted me to be just like him. I didn't turn out that way. Now, since returning to school, I've become sort of Hero. I hate it. No-one seems to understand me. My girlfriend is an accessory, I harbour no feelings for her; and she has none for me. It's all an image, a show, a game. I hate it.**

**Reputation. That's what it all is. Some façade. I hate it. I want to be me. No-one would understand me. I don't even know what me is. I hear my name and images, words and feelings fill my head. They are what people think of when they hear my name. Those aren't the things I want to be associated with me. If I act out of character, even for a moment, then people talk about me. But I am out of character. The person I truly am is nothing like who everyone thinks I am. I want to be able to decide who I am, and be that person.**

**I'm lost. I'm confused. And I'm misunderstood. And I needed someone to read my feelings, because I have no-one whom I can tell them to.**

**So, to whoever is reading this letter. I am sorry to burden you with my thoughts, but I couldn't have the burden on my shoulders alone. Thank you for reading, I won't expect a reply; but if you want to send one, you can address it to the name below. **

**Yours thankfully,**

**Confused Dragon.**

Hermione gasped as she read the letter. This person was going through a similar thing to her. The same feelings. This person didn't know themselves either. Hermione hugged the letter to her chest. This was a letter; just like her own. She knew she wanted a reply, so she was definitely going to give this poor soul one. Hermione rushed out of the great hall; heading to the library to write a letter straight away.

Back in the great hall, Draco was confused.

'_A letter for me? My mother never writes a letter to me, I have no friends outside of Hogwarts and my father is in Azkaban…so how on earth has a letter reached me?'_ Draco took the parchment from the owl and ran his fingers over it. '_This looks like my letter, but it can't be. The owl is different. So…why is it here?' _Draco found himself opening the unaddressed letter and reading its contents as Pansy gossiped with her friends. No-one was watching him as he read, and for that he was thankful.

**Dear someone.**

**I am so misunderstood. Everyone sees me and thinks the same thing. I'm not like that though. Not everyone sees me in that way, I suppose. Some witches and wizards are decent. Blood doesn't mean everything to some people. But to those whom it is vital; they see my nothing more as a filthy, dirty individual.**

**Those who see me without thinking about that though, they are kind to me and see me for what I am. But, they truly don't. All they see is some intelligent being. I'm more that that.**

**How much more, I do not know. All I know is that there is more to me than my intellect and my heritage. Unfortunately, no-one knows this. SO I find myself pouring my heart out to some stranger through some ink on a piece of parchment. I apologise to you for making you read this. You can toss it in the fire if you want, or never think of it again…but if for some reason you want to reply to this letter; perhaps to offer my your condolences, advice or general words of support and kindness….then please reply to the name below. The owl will find me. Thank you for reading my ranting and ravings. I just needed someone to know.**

**Yours thankfully,**

**Misunderstood Muggle-born.**

'_Fantastic' _Draco thought to himself '_Another person in the exact same position as me, almost. Yes, this person is a muggle-born, but do I care….no. Everyone assumes blood is important to me because of my parents, my heritage and my appalling behaviour over the last few years; but how wrong they are. I'm going to write to this poor witch or wizard, and I'm going to console them. I wanted a reply to my letter, so obviously this person does too, and I will give them that reply. Now.'_

Draco stood up, letter in one hand, bag in the other and left the great hall without even kissing Pansy goodbye. Murmured whispers followed. How very out of character.

Draco ran to the library. He entered quietly and rushed over to a vacant desk. He took out some parchment and a quill and started to write a reply.

Over in the corner Hermione sat writing her own letter. She glanced up and saw Draco. She glared at him, but he didn't notice. She continued to write her letter.

Both students finished their letters around about the same time. Their letters consoled the writer and offered their apologies and understandings. They talked about how they were going through a similar thing, and had done a similar thing also.

Both students left the library and headed up to the owlery. They were walking alongside each other.

"Who are you writing to then?" Hermione asked politely, trying to make conversation.

"None of your business." Draco replied, although not in quite the normal manner. His voice didn't carry its normal harsh tone. This went unnoticed by Hermione, but Draco noticed it himself. He'd only been a little less cold and cruel because Granger was a muggle-born, just like the person to whom he was corresponding. Plus, Draco didn't feel like living up to his mean reputation today. It was too tiring, and so unlike who he wanted to be. "Who are you writing to?" Draco asked as the reached the owlery and wandered off to opposites end, grabbing an owl each.

"That is none of your business." Hermione replied in the same tone as Draco had done, as she hid the letter from him, so he couldn't see the name on the front. Draco did the exact same thing. Each fed their owl an owl treat and left the owlery, side by side, in silence. The owls glanced at the letters they were carrying. They hooted and flew out of the windows, one heading towards the North tower, the other to the dungeons. There each owl dropped the letter through a window.

The one addressed 'Confused Dragon' landed on Draco Malfoy's bed, just as one labelled 'Misunderstood Muggle-born' landed on Hermione Granger's.


	2. Chapter 2

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Two

Both Draco and Hermione had their first lesson together so they walked with one another to Potions. There they were greeted by Professor Slughorn. Hermione's welcome was slightly warmer.

They went through the lesson, both excelling; as per usual. Draco and Pansy spent a lot of the lesson hugging and kissing though. How Draco managed to get his work done Hermione did not know. She had felt herself feeling angry and disgusted at their public display and was telling her feelings to Ron and Harry when Harry suddenly replied.

"Feeling jealous, are we?" as a joke. Both he and Ron sniggered. Hermione, however, blushed and punched Harry lightly. His words had an effect on her though. Was she really jealous of that blonde-haired idiot and his pug-faced nymphomaniac girlfriend? Hermione nodded to herself; yes she was jealous. She couldn't work out why though.

The lesson ended and the students all left the classroom and separated. Hermione went to her lessons, Harry and Ron went to theirs, as did Draco.

Lesson came and went. Lunchtime passed. More lessons took place. Then, finally, it was dinnertime.

Hermione entered the great hall with her two best friends, whom she'd had most of her lessons with. They ate together and as they did so, Hermione found herself glancing over at the Slytherin table a lot more than normal.

Draco had found himself looking at the Gryffindor table also. He'd never looked at the same time as Hermione had glanced at him though, so luckily, their eyes hadn't met. What was up with him? Since talking to her this morning in an almost civil manner, he found himself not disliking her as much as before. Maybe it was because of that letter. It woke up the kinder side of him, the side that didn't hate muggle-borns'. Draco smiled to himself as he ate his dinner. What would his parents, his friends, his girlfriend think if they knew that; if they knew he was actually a decent guy? At least, he thinks he is.

Dinner finished and students left the great hall, their stomachs full. Most had work to do so they hurried to their common rooms. Both Hermione and Draco entered their dormitories shortly after arriving in their common rooms. Both of them had homework to retrieve, however, neither of them expected to find letters on their beds. Addressed to them, actually, addressed to their nicknames; which was still them.

Hermione's hands trembled as she opened the letter. There it was. A letter addressed to her. A letter done in the exact same handwriting as…Confused Dragons! She read down the entire page and saw at the bottom, it wasn't signed with a name, but with a nickname; Confused Dragon. He'd done exactly what she had done.

Draco re-read the letter three times. Misunderstood-Muggle-born had written back to him. She'd even signed the letter with her nickname, like he had done. How astonishing. Somehow, each of their letters had found one another. Draco had imagined himself replying to someone completely different, and had imagined this letter to be from someone else when he opened it. In fact, this reply and his own reply were to and from the same person. Draco found himself laughing at his luck. Finally, someone to understand him.

The two of them read the letters with smiles on their faces. It was almost like making a friend. A real friend. The brilliant thing was, neither had to reveal who they were. That evening, instead of doing homework (which to be honest neither of them really needed to do anyway as both were on top of their workload) they found themselves writing replies.

They didn't meet in the owlery this time however as Hermione used Hedwig, and Draco used his own owl; Demetrius. The two owls (both bright white) met in midair as they flew through the night-sky; delivering to one another. It was strange how the owls knew whom they were delivering to. They truly were an intelligent species.

The two letters entered the opposite bedroom windows at a very similar time.

**Dear Misunderstood Muggle-born.**

**I received your reply and I just had to thank you. I was astonished to find that our letters had found each other. I truly feel like I've found a friend, someone who can understand me. I hoe you feel the same way. Hopefully, this can be a way for each of us to share our feelings in a way that won't damage us or our reputations (although I know we will be shedding these soon). **

**Thank you for what you've done so far. It's brilliant someone knows what I'm going through. I hope that as a result of knowing you, I will find my way and no longer be lost, I will know what I want and need and no longer be confused, and I will have the courage to show people who I am and make them understand me so that I will no longer be misunderstood.**

**Thank you so very much. I hope we will keep on talking to one another through letters. I hope for a lot. I hope too much one say. However, I say one can never hope too much; as hope is one of those things that there is no limit on. Just like love.**

**Sorry to end this letter on such a sentimental note. You'd laugh at me if you knew who I was, because those sorts of things don't come out of my mouth. I have a girlfriend, but there isn't love there. So, most people don't see me as the loving type. Maybe because of my parents. They don't seem to love. Not me anyway. I hope your parents love you. I hope mine love me soon. **

**I hope.**

**Yours hopefully,**

**Confused Dragon.**

**PS – maybe you and I could tell each other a few things about ourselves. No names or descriptions of the way you look (because if we happen to know either other, then I'd be able to work out who you are if you described yourself; so don't). Just…a few facts. Up to you what you want to say. If you're up for it, send a reply with a few details. Then I'll do the same, unless you're also said the same thing in your letter, in which case I'd reply with facts about me. That wouldn't surprise me either, as we seem quite similar. Looking forward to your reply.**

Hermione read her reply with a smile on her face, especially at his PS note. She had also frowned a few times whilst reading. Her new friend obviously was going through a rough patch. She hoped that they'd be able to help him through this time in his life. When she finished reading she went to bed, ready to reply to this reply in the morning.

**Dear Confused Dragon.**

**I'm so pleased there is some-one to understand me. I felt like there wasn't a single soul who'd be able to, but you do. Like me, you have a reputation but you don't want to live up to it. You want to be able to be who you are and not have others judge you and use you. I hate having people always come to me for help in their times of need; which is usually for homework. Yes I am smart and helpful, but enough is enough. What's worse is that it is usually my two best friends who are…using me. I am fed up.**

**I want to be able to drop my reputation and live as me, just me. I know you feel the same. **

**Thanks, by the way, for what you've done for me. It is fantastic having someone who knows what I'm feeling. Hopefully, through our relationship, our friendship, I will have the courage and bravery to make people understand me and no longer use me. I'm in the house where I'm meant to be brave and courageous, but on this particular issue, I don't feel like I'm those things at all. **

**Anyway. If you would like to, I was thinking we could tell each other a few things about ourselves, and our lives. No names or descriptions. Just obscure details. It's only an idea, and if you don't like it, you don't have to do it. If you like this idea, then write some facts about yourself in your next reply, and then I will do the same. **

**Thanks again for reading my thoughts and understanding me. I enjoyed reading your reply. Reply soon,**

**Yours gratefully, **

**Misunderstood Muggle-born.**

Draco read his reply hastily and smiled. She had thought of the same idea as him. He'd reply tomorrow, with facts about himself. For now though, he was tired, and he needed to sleep. Draco read the letter once more, enjoying the fact that he had someone to talk to (what's more, someone who went to his school) before putting the letter on his bedside table, turning onto his side, and falling asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Three

Draco woke up bright and early to write his reply, as did Hermione. Again, they both arrived at the Owlery around about the same time.

Hermione walked in, surprised to see Draco.

"Good morning." She greeted him politely as she beckoned an owl down from the rafters.

"Morning." Draco replied without looking up as he tied his letter to the owl. Then Draco fed it a treat and left hastily. Hermione did the same, and then went down to the Great Hall.

Breakfast passed quickly and both Draco and Hermione sat at their tables fidgeting. They both wanted their letters. Finally they hear screeches and hooting; the owls had arrived. About seventy owls swooped into the great hall, flying around looking for the people they're meant to be delivering to. One owl flew down to Draco as another flew to Hermione. If the two students had been paying attention earlier than they would have noticed the owl arriving in front of them was the owl sent off earlier by the other student. However, both were too intensely focused on the letter the owl was holding rather than the owl. They took their replies and fled from the Great Hall, clutching them tightly. Each went their separate ways to read them; Hermione to the girl's toilets and, strangely enough, Draco to the boy's.

Both students sat on a toilet each; with the lid down, and opened their letters. They read intently. Neither reply held details of how the student looked, or any names, but the details sufficed. Both students felt a strong attraction to the other, without even knowing what each other looked like. The description of their hobbies, life, hopes and dream (in fact - everything the other said) was enough for Draco and Hermione to feel a strong pull to one another.

'_She sounds wonderful. Smart, intellectual, loyal and friendly. Perfect, you could say. I know it's shallow, but I do wonder what she looks like. As long as she doesn't look like Pansy, I'll be fine. Hm, maybe…if she were…I don't know...a stunning brunette like Granger.' _Draco thought to himself. Suddenly, he began to splutter. '_Did I just say Granger was stunning? Man oh man, these letters are having an effect on me.' _Draco hit his forehead, trying to get the image of Hermione out of his head. '_If my parents ever knew I thought a muggle-born was attractive, I'd be in trouble. But wait, I do. I'm attracted to the writer of these letters; and she is muggle-born. Hm. Maybe, just maybe, it is alright for me to think Hermione's attractive. Hey, since when has she been Hermione?'_ Draco pondered as he left the boy's bathroom, letter clutched tightly in his pale fist.

'_Wow. He sounds….dreamy. He's had a hard life, and it's shaped him into a young man he doesn't want to be. He's troubled. Yet, his hopes and dreams, his aspirations…they're so close to mine. His hobbies are very similar to mine, especially how he loves to read; which is a big plus. Although he is a Quidditch fan which could mean he'll constantly talk about it.'_ Hermione thought _'I get enough of that from Ron and Harry. What is it with boys and quidditch? Even Draco loves quidditch.'_ Hermione stood up of the toilet. _'Did I just call Malfoy Draco?'_ she asked herself. She nodded._ 'Yes. Yes I did. What's gotten into me? Since when does that popular, heartless guy enter my thoughts by his first-name? And since when have I not thought bad things about him simultaneously. Usually I'm ranting and raving about him. Why the change? Hm. Must be the letters.'_ Pleased with her own deductions, Hermione left the girl's toilets, letter clutched lovingly to her chest; which it must be said, had grown a lot over the summer (although most people hadn't noticed, due to the baggy clothes Hermione wears to cover up.)

Upon leaving Hermione was pulled into a hug by her red-haired friend, Ginny Weasley, and outside the boy's toilets, which were a few metres away, Draco was pulled into a kiss by his black-haired girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson.

Hermione and Ginny looked over and saw the goings-on and left hastily, both feeling rather nauseous. Hermione, however, felt a twinge of jealousy as well. She scolded herself in her thoughts. How dare she be jealous? What is there to be jealous about? '_The fact that Pansy and Draco are kissing, and you desperately want to be in Pansy's place.'_ Hermione's oh-so truthful conscious kicked in. Hermione gasped at the realization.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked worriedly. Hermione nodded, and the two girls carried on until they reached a fork and went in different directions for their lessons.

Meanwhile, back outside the boy's toilets, Pansy had her arms wrapped around Draco, kissing him whilst their friends stood nearby; Crabbe, Goyle and Bulstrode.

Suddenly, Draco pushed Pansy off himself.

"Pansy. Not here. Not now. Not in front of them." He said menacingly, moving his eyes to gesture towards the three onlookers. "Besides, I need to talk to you in private."

"Oh Draco. You can talk to me right here, right now. Whatever you've got to tell me, our friends can hear it too….after all, they do watch us make out all the time." Pansy grinned, feeling proud of herself.

Draco sighed. _Well, I made the decision. Might as well tell her. It's her own stupid fault she wants me to say it in front of the idiots._

"I want to break up." Draco said simply.

Pansy's jaw dropped unattractively, as well as Millicent's. Crabbe and Goyle looked dumbfounded but then burst out laughing.

"You want to…to break up?" Pansy repeated idiotically.

Draco nodded. Pansy regained her composure quickly.

"Is there someone else?" she asked calmly, too calmly.

Draco shook his head. Then he nodded. Finally he shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe." Draco admitted. His eyes misted over as he thought about Misunderstood Muggle-born and her letters. She sounded wonderful.

"Well….seems you're not sure…I'm going to take this whole thing into account, and, refuse to accept it. You've obviously been hit on the head, or given a love potion or something. No worries, we'll forget all about this and pretend it never happened. Lessons now people. Come on Millicent, let's go." Pansy announced, grabbing her best friend's hand and stomping away. Draco and his friends watched them leave, surprised.

"Did she just say we'll pretend I didn't break up with her?" Draco asked his friends. They nodded stupidly. "Well then, I'll just have to get the message through again later. Right now, we have lessons to do." He said, striding off with his friends following.


	4. Chapter 4

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Four

That evening in the Great Hall, whilst the students were eating, Professor McGonagall, the new headmistress who took over after Dumbledore's tragic demise, made an announcement.

"Excuse me students," McGonagall's amplified voice fell over the great hall, quieting the conversations to a few whispers here and there, "I have an announcement to make."

All students turned their heads to their headmistress. Rarely was it that an announcement was made during a meal. Most were hoping it wasn't bad news.

"Some of the older students may well remember three years ago we had the Triwizard tournament take place here."

Around the hall a few students nodded, some happily and some gloomily as they recalled poor Cedric Diggory.

"Well. Whilst that took place, we had a ball. The Yule Ball. Since this year started, we have noticed spirits have been dampened by what has been going on in the wizarding world. So, to try and battle this, we have decided to have another ball."

A cheer arose around the entire great hall, cutting off McGonagall's explanation.

"Quiet!" She exclaimed finally after a minute or so of people chattering, mainly the excited girls.

"Let me finish. Now, like I said, there will be a ball. Hush! This ball, unlike the Yule ball, will be a masked ball…and for a little extra fun, it will be fancy dress. The partners are to come, hopefully, in matched costumes. If this is too much to handle, you may just come in ordinary dress robes. Otherwise, it would be nice for you all to put some effort in. Shortly a poster will be put up inside all the dormitories with hundreds of ideas. All you have to do is tick off the one you wish to do. That way, we will have no repetition. So I trust you will be fast. The ideas will be different in each house, so don't worry, we won't have four sets of costumes. Now, finish your meals and then off to your dormitories for the evening. The heads of houses; Professor Sprout, Professor Slughorn, Professor Flitwick and myself, will all be along shortly with the lists." She finished her little speech and then sat down and presumed eating her own meal. Most students followed suit, but some just clattered their cutlery onto their plates and fled the Great Hall to go to their dormitories for whatever reason…mainly to be first in line.

Draco and Hermione were among these students.

However they didn't return to their dormitories. They both ran to the library and scribbled down letters to one another, each asking the other to the dance. It would be the perfect opportunity for them to meet for the first time. Then, they sealed their letters and ran off the owlery. They sent of their letters in a flourish and then left, feeling very pleased with themselves.

It was only then did they return to their dormitories. It was there they found their letters and were surprised by the promptness. Of course, both had deduced the other was a student at Hogwarts, so it only made sense for them to arrive so quickly. Draco took his letter and sat in an armchair by the fire, ignoring the whispering Slytherin girls (and boys) that surrounded him, eagerly awaiting the list. Hermione took hers and sat in the armchair by the fire, ignoring the chattering Gryffindor girls (and boys) that surrounded her, eagerly awaiting the list.

Their eyes scanned the pieces of parchment in front of them, and both let out a laugh. They were almost identical. Practically word for word. Each knew there was no need to reply with a yes, if they both had sent letters asking and received letters asking, it was undoubtedly clear that they would be going together.

'_How do I tell people? I'm going with someone…who….I don't know. Yeah, Hermione, that will be a great conversation. Oh well.' _Hermione thought, shrugging her shoulders. '_It's my choice. If I want to meet Confused Dragon at the ball, I will.'_ She put the parchment in the pocket of her robes and turned to look at the portrait of the fat lady that had just opened. Professor McGonagall, the headmistress and head of Gryffindor, walked in with a large piece of parchment in her hand. Students crowded around her.

Down in the Slytherin common room Draco was having a very similar problem.

'_Uh oh'_ Draco thought _'How will I tell Pansy? Oh well, screw her. We broke up, it doesn't matter. I just hope…it is all worth it. Hey, what am I thinking? Of course it will be. She was made for me, we're so similar. I can't wait to meet her.'_ Draco pocketed the parchment and stood up. He was walking towards the entrance to leave when it opened and Professor Slughorn came in, holding up the list. Students began jumping up and down with joy, literally. Draco sighed, he couldn't leave just yet. He'd hoped the list would arrive later. However, it was here now…so he might as well get a good costume set. He followed Slughorn to the billboard where the parchment would be put up. Students moved out of the way for their teacher and most popular students. As soon as Slughorn had pinned it, he spun around and strode out with three last words.

"No fighting now." He chuckled and left.

Luckily, there was no fighting. Not yet anyway. Everyone was waiting for Draco to choose. It was an unspoken agreement, he went first. His eyes looked at the entire list, and one pair in particular stuck out to him. _'Perfect'_ He put his name alongside the pairing. Just then Pansy swooped in to see his choice.

"Oh Draco baby…wonderful choice. We'll make a lovely Romeo and Juliet." Pansy leaned in to kiss him, and Draco pushed her away.

"I'm not going with you Pansy. I explained earlier, we've broken up. Get that fact into your head. I'll be going with someone else, I just don't know who." Draco told her. At the words 'don't know who' almost all the Slytherin girls perked up. Draco sighed; he hadn't meant it in that way. _'Oh well. I can't be bothered to explain. They can live off their false hopes. I've already got my mystery date though._' With that thought in his head, off the lovely Misunderstood Muggle-born, he left the common room; leaving the fighting, bickering Slytherins' behind.

Hermione watched the piece of parchment being pinned up. She walked over and looked at the list, but none of them appealed to her. Besides, Confused Dragon may have already made a choice, and it would have been awkward if they'd both put their names next to two costume pairings. Hermione watched her fellow Gryffindors' adding their names to the list in a rather calm and orderly fashion as she walked to the portrait and left. She headed for the library.


	5. Chapter 5

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Five

Up in the library Draco was sat reading a book. Well, a play. Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet. It had always been his favourite play about how love could be found between two families that constantly fought. The ending was rather tragic, but he loved the play none-the-less. What was great about this edition of the Muggle's masterpiece was it had illustrations. Draco was flicking through the book, looking at the images. The costumes were wonderful. He loved historical clothes like these. He closed the book with a happy sigh and placed the well-read book back on the shelf in a loving fashion. Just as it slid onto the shelf Draco noticed another student entering the library from the corner of his eye.

'_Odd. I would have thought I'd be the only one here, with everyone rushing to get the costumes they wanted.'_ Draco thought. He turned his head to look at the student more clearly, and chuckled to himself. _'Granger. Of course. Only Granger would be up here whilst this big event was taking place._'

Hermione walked calmly into the library and felt at ease immediately. She looked around at all the aisles of bookshelves, all crammed full of books. She knew what she needed. She walked over to her favourite aisle; muggle literature. She needed a good dose of Shakespeare. A Midsummer Nights Dream maybe, or Romeo and Juliet. She turned to enter the aisle and saw Draco, who'd just climbed down off of the ladder he'd used to return the book.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked rather harshly. She suspected he'd been defacing books. Muggle books. She scowled at Draco. Draco smirked.

"I was reading Granger. Nothing wrong with that is there?"

"No…there isn't anything wrong with reading. I just don't understand why a high esteemed pureblood like you would be reading muggle literature."

"I enjoy it." Draco replied lazily as he examined his fingernails in a casual fashion, avoiding Hermione's piercing glare. "Besides. It's not really your business what I read it is?" Draco squeezed by Hermione, pushing her up against one of the bookshelves as he did so. Once past he glanced back at Hermione. "Got a date for the ball yet?" he wanted to make her uncomfortable. She got a date for the Yule Ball with Krum in the fourth year, but that had been pure luck. Krum must have just liked bushy haired, buck toothed know-it-alls. _'It wasn't luck, and she wasn't those things.'_ Draco's honest conscious kicked in '_She got asked to the ball because even in your fourth year she was an attractive witch, and she's even more attractive now.'_

Hermione scowled.

"Now that isn't your business is it." She spat his own words back at him.

"How rude." Draco replied in a mocking manner. "I'll take that as a no." he winked and turned on his heel, striding away.

If Hermione had been anywhere else, with something else on hand, she would have thrown something at Draco. Unfortunately, she was surrounded by books, and there was no way she'd throw one of those at him. They were too precious, and he wasn't worth it.

Hermione had been glancing around looking for something to throw as Draco left. She couldn't let him leave with that comment still standing. Then, she saw something that would work perfectly. _'Thank Merlin'_ she thought as she picked up the small glass bottle of green ink. She hurled it at Draco. Smack! It hit him right in the back of the head and broke. The glass didn't cut him, thankfully (she didn't want to cut him) and the ink spurted all of his platinum blonde hair (that is what she wanted). She cackled gleefully.

Draco left the library chuckling. When suddenly he was hit in the back of the head by something, and it hurt! He felt something wet on his head. His head was still throbbing. On the floor he saw several large shards of broken glass, and green ink all over the floor. He raised his hand to his head, and when he pulled it away, he saw it was covered in green ink. He turned to look at Hermione, who was laughing.

"Mudblood bitch!" he exclaimed angrily, using wizarding curse word and modern muggle swear word as well so he could hit her on both levels. Hermione stopped laughing. She had a hurt expression on her face.

"Green suits you." She said before running past him, head in hands. It was evident that she was crying. Draco felt really guilty, he hadn't meant to say that. It was his façade reacting, not him. Draco looked at his hand covered in green ink and noticed his reflection in a piece of glass. His hair was green. The ink had covered his hair almost entirely and was now dripping down his face and onto his robes. He re-heard Hermione's last comment in his head.

He began to laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Six

Hermione ran down the steps away from the library, her eyes blurred with tears. She ran to the North tower without once stopping, and once there she ran past Ron and Harry who looked extremely worried, and up into her dormitory where she flung herself onto the bed and cried even more.

In the library Draco had left laughing, walking at a slow pace. He walked to the Owlery where he posted the letter to Misunderstood Muggle-born telling her about the costumes. He'd written it before Hermione…before Granger had arrived. Draco beckoned an owl to him and attached the letter. He gave it a treat and watched it fly out of the window. Then he left the owlery feeling rather pleased with himself. _'I just hope she likes the costumes I've picked'_ Draco thought as he imagined himself dressed up as Romeo. He tried picturing his new friend as Juliet but she had no face; it was blank. And her hair kept changing. This was all due to the fact he didn't know what she looked like. What disturbed Draco the most was that more than once Hermione had been the one to fill out the dress he'd imagined Juliet to have worn. He'd soon shaken the image out though. Draco smiled to himself as he entered the Slytherin common room. About a dozen girls rushed over and greeted him whilst batting their eyelids etc. He ignored them and walked to his dormitory quickly before Pansy could get at him.

He entered his bedroom and sat on his bed with some parchment and a quill. He began to draw the costumes. After half an hour, he had finished drawing the outlines and colouring them in. He'd always been exceptionally artistic and the costumes looked wonderful. Draco rolled up the parchment and addressed it to Madame Malkin asking her to make these two costumes at any expense. Then Draco called in a first year to take the letter to the Owlery and send it off. Draco had been there too many times in the last few days.

Up in her dormitory Hermione had fallen asleep after crying for so long. When she awoke half an hour later she found a letter beside her head. An owl had come in through the window whilst she was asleep and left it there for her. Hermione sniffed and wiped her tears away although they had long since dried up. She opened the letter with trembling hands. Maybe this would tell her what costumes they'd be wearing. She was right.

**Dear Misunderstood Muggle-born.**

**I hope you aren't disappointed with me, but I have chosen our costumes without asking your opinion.**

**None-the-less to make up for this, I will be buying the costumes.**

**So, I shall no longer make you wait in anticipation. I have put down my name for Romeo and Juliet. You will make a lovely Juliet I'm sure, especially in the dress I've designed for you.**

**Yes, I designed our costumes. I'm a very artistic young man, and not many people know that.**

**Your dress should arrive within the next three days. I will tell Madame Malkin to send it to you – Misunderstood Muggle-born. If it arrives at the breakfast table, don't open it around anyone else. In fact, when it arrives, don't open it at all. Save it for the ball this Saturday. **

**I'm looking forward to seeing you in my dress, but even more so, I'm looking forward to meeting you. **

**Talk again soon,**

**Love Confused Dragon.**

Hermione sighed happily and folded the letter up. Romeo and Juliet...how utterly romantic. Her eyes glazed over as she recalled the play. Then, Hermione frowned. She took out the letter and read it again. _'Love…he's never signed it with love before…and he's chosen two very romantic it be….he's attracted to me…someone he's never even met before?'_ Hermione asked herself _'It must be. That's the only viable conclusion. Well…this is wonderful. I haven't had a boy like me back since Viktor. Oh this is brilliant. I wonder what he looks like. What do I care, looks aren't important. It's all about personality, and he has a brilliant one. Oh, I'm so lucky. I can't wait to see my dress.'_

Hermione stored the letter with all her others and left the dormitory and went back down into the common room. Ron and Harry practically jumped on her.

"Are you alright Hermione?" Harry asked, his forehead wrinkled in a frown.

"Yeah, are you okay? You came in crying earlier and ran upstairs before we could even ask what was wrong." Ron added.

"I'm fine guys." Hermione smiled. "I was just…upset."

"We guessed that." Ron replied sarcastically, trying to lighten the mood. Hermione glared at him and he looked worried, but then she smiled.

"I'm sorry." She apologized "I was just…really annoyed…you see….Draco was in library and he upset me."

"Draco….you mean Malfoy. In the library? Why was he there?" Harry asked.

"Well that's the thing. He's normally in the library."

"Is he?" Ron interrupted.  
"Yes Ron, he is…he's second best student in the year so he obviously spends more time in there than most. Look, the point I'm trying to get across is the section he was in."

"Which was?"

"Muggle literature."

Both boys looked surprised.

"Why was he there?" Ron asked.

"I don't know." Hermione shrugged. "He was leaving when I arrived. What bothered me though was he asked if I was going to the ball with anyone, and when I told him it wasn't any of his business, he replied 'I'll take that as a no' and started to walk off."

"Are you going with someone?" Ron asked with a slight look of hope in his eyes.

"That's off the subject. Anyway," Hermione continued "I got insulted by that so I sort of…well I…..I threw an ink pot at his head."

Harry and Ron, and several other Gryffindors' who had been eavesdropping, laughed out loud. Hermione blushed and grinned.

"It was quite funny. I laughed at him when I did it. And that was when…when he called…called me..a…a…" Hermione's sentence trailed off into nothing.

"A what?" Harry asked.

Hermione mumbled something so quietly that Ron and Harry couldn't hear it.

"Say it again Hermione."

"A mudblood bitch." Hermione whispered slightly louder this time. Ron and Harry gasped and growled angrily. The eavesdroppers leaned in, wondering what Draco had called her to stir up this sort of reaction.

"Why…I oughta curse him!" Ron exclaimed.

"No Ron. Look, there is no point. He was angry when he said that. It upset me at the time, but I'm over it now. His comment is beneath me." Hermione replied, raising her chin. The lads smiled.

"Alright Hermione, if it's beneath you, it's beneath us." Harry told her.

"Promise you two won't punish Draco."

"We promise." Ron and Harry replied in unison.

"You promise what?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn."

"Darn."

The two lads looked annoyed. She'd beaten them.

"We promise we won't punish Malfoy."

Hermione looked pleased with herself as she hugged the boys tightly, kissing each of their cheeks. Ron blushed furiously.

"You never answered my question by the way 'Mione." Ron suddenly said.

"What question?" Hermione asked confused.

"Whether or not you are going to ball with someone? You got mad at Draco for saying you weren't…does that mean you are?" Ron asked. The hopeful look in his eye had vanished.

"Yes it does Ron." Hermione replied smiling. Her smile faltered when she saw the look on Ron's face. "Oh I'm sorry Ron. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"No, it's okay. I just thought this year I could go with someone who actually liked me. Padma Patil still avoids me."

"Oh Ron." Hermione sighed, grabbing him and pulling him into a tight hug. "I am sorry."

"No, it's alright. Don't worry about it. I'll find someone this time." Ron tried to look like a brave Gryffindor as he said that, but he just looked small and weak and red-haired.

Harry and Hermione smiled at their friend.

"Come on now…it's time to study before bed." Hermione announced. The boys groaned.


	7. Chapter 7

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Seven

Hermione had stayed up studying for several hours, and Harry and Ron had been with her for some of the time but eventually grew bored and played Wizards chess instead before retiring to their dormitories to sleep.

Hermione soon followed.

The next day she woke up feeling refreshed and ready for a new day. She smiled gleefully as she got ready. Her dress might arrive today, although he did say within three days, so it might not. Either way, she could hope.

Down in the common room Ron and Harry were working, which surprised Hermione when she came bounding down the stairs to go to breakfast. Luckily, it was Saturday so there was no rush.

"I'm going to breakfast, are you coming?" she asked joyfully. The boys mumbled and shook their heads. "What?"

"Already been," Ron explained not looking up from his work.

"Now we've got work to do, so if you don't mind." Harry grinned as he waved his hand through the air dismissively.

"Fine," Hermione feigned being insulted "if you don't want me, I'll go." She grinned back at Harry as she ran out of the common room and down to the Great Hall. Just as she stepped through the door, owls began to swoop in. Hermione rushed to the Gryffindor table and sat down, waiting expectantly.

Nothing fell into her lap.

Feeling slightly down-hearted Hermione started placing food onto her plate and eating. She was frowning, but gradually started to smile as she thought how it'll probably arrive tomorrow. _'It's only a dress. I shouldn't get so excited anyway.'_ She thought to herself.

Finishing her meal she got up and left, ready to go back to the Common room. She sauntered in past the portrait and over to Harry and Ron.

"Still working?" she asked, sitting down in an armchair by the fire watching her two dearest friends.

"Yup." Harry stopped working, placed his quill down and walked over to Hermione, sitting across from her. Ron did the same. The sound of scratching quills ceased.

"Not any more." Ron announced. "We're done, finished as you arrived."

"Great. What were you doing anyway?" Hermione asked inquisitively.

"Can't say." The boys replied in unison, grinning.

Hermione frowned.

"It's a secret." They winked.

"Alright…whatever. Not like I'm interested."

"Oh but you are." Ron looked at Hermione in a 'I know what you're like' way.

"Okay I am. Please…please tell me." She begged.

Ron and Harry looked at each other, as if deciding what to do. Then, after nodding at each other, they turned back to her and shook their heads.

Hermione sighed in exasperation.

"Go on…"

"Alright." Ron said.

"We'll tell you." Harry replied.

The two lads got up, retrieved their pieces of parchment and sat back down, handing them to Hermione.

"Lists." They said.

'_They're getting more like Fred and George every single day…talking in unison, being secretive and sneaky…Harry will grow red hair before term has ended if they don't stop.'_ Hermione thought as she smiled, looking at the parchments. Then she frowned.

"They're lists of names." Hermione looked at the boys for some kind of explanation.

"Girl's names."

"Lots of girl's names."

"Oh yes. I get it now. Possible dates, am I correct?" Hermione asked as she scanned down the two lists. She didn't see the boys nodding. "Hm…good choices, but I know some better ones. Harry, I say go for Jemima Winters. She's a really nice girl. Sixth yeah. Hufflepuff. She's not on your list, but you'd get on well. She loves quidditch." Hermione said as she handed Harry's list back to him. "Why have neither of you got the girls I think on your lists. Anyway Ron…you should try…hm…Elizabeth Blake. She's in sixth year as well, except she's in Ravenclaw. They're both lovely girls." Hermione handed Ron's list back.

The lads had thoughtful expressions on their faces. These soon became happy expressions.

"Alright." They replied, standing up. Hermione smiled and watched as they confidently strode out of the common room, as if on a quest. Hermione laughed to herself, they'd be back.

Surely enough, they were.

A few minutes after leaving the boys came back grinning.

"Maybe you should come with us. We have no idea who they are do we?" Harry reached out a hand for Hermione to take, pulling her out of the armchair. The boys took one of her arms each and led her out.

"Okay, well, my guess is they're in the Great Hall. If not we check the library. Then their common rooms, we can't go in, but we can ask students to check them. Finally, we'd check the grounds." Hermione explained her plan. The boys nodded mutely.

Together the three of them entered the Great Hall and Hermione let out a small cheer.

"No need for the rest of the stuff, they're both here."

The boys glanced around. There were lots of girls at both the house tables, and they had no idea who was their possible date. Hermione grabbed the lad's hands and pulled them both to the Ravenclaw table first. It was no surprise to see Hermione here as she frequently came over to converse with students, but to see Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley, was a surprise. She sat down and the lads copied. They were sat opposite a petite-figured girl with long blonde hair, large yellowy brown eyes and perfect white teeth. Ron's jaw dropped.

"Hi Liz." Hermione greeted her friend. Elizabeth smiled.

"Hey 'Mione. What's up?" for a Ravenclaw, Liz had quite relaxed language.

"Not a lot. Just wanted to introduce you to my friends. They are,"

"Ron Weasley and Harry Potter," Liz interrupted, raising her hand. "I know." She grinned at the lads, but smiled at Ron a lot longer. In fact, her eyes remained on his as Hermione talked.

"Great! Well, I should have expected you to know. Anyway we're here because,"

"Want to go to the ball with me?" Ron interrupted. Hermione rolled her eyes, one – the second interruption and two – Ron had just rushed straight into it. Hermione had planned to invite Liz out for a stroll around the grounds.

"Sure." Liz replied before Hermione could apoligise for Ron's behaviour.

Ron grinned. So did Liz. And Harry. Hermione did too.

"Okay. Perfect. Thanks Liz. I'm going to leave Ron here so you can talk, got to take Harry over to Hufflepuff now."

"Ooh, who are you setting him up with?" Liz asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Jemima Summers." Harry told her. The girls snorted with laughter.

"You mean Winters." Liz corrected him. "Great girl, she loves quidditch. You'll be good together."

Harry sighed in relief at this strangers approval. He patted his friend on the back and walked off with Hermione who was still giggling a little.

"Okay." She calmed herself down. "Hufflepuffs here we come." She said under her breath as she sat down opposite another girl. She waited for Harry to sit but he didn't. He was just stood gaping at the girl sat across from Hermione, who hadn't even looked up yet. She had short dark hair, light blue eyes (he thought), cute button nose and a curvy frame. Hermione noticed this and grabbed Harry pulling him into his seat before Jemima could look up and see him standing there like a fish.

"Hey Jemima." Hermione smiled. The girl looked up. _'Yep, I was right. Blue eyes.'_ Harry thought. "How are you?"

"Fine thanks 'Mione. Yourself?"

"Great. I was wondering if you might want to accompany me and Harry on a walk around the grounds." Hermione asked, not wanting Harry to ruin her plan like Ron had done.

Jemima smiled about to say yes, but frowned.

"I can't." she said "I promised I'd help my friend today. I'm supposed to eat breakfast and then go. Sorry."

"No it's fine. Don't worry. I know how Hufflepuffs are when it comes to friends." Hermione grinned at Jemima.

"Thanks for understanding."

"No problem." Harry said. "It was just a chance for me to get to know you, you see…before the ball."

Jemima's eyes flicked from Hermione's to Harry's.

"The ball?" She repeated.

"Yeah, the Yule Ball. I wanted to get to know you before I asked you to go with me, but seems you're busy, I might as well ask now. Want to go to the ball with me?"

Jemima's jaw dropped and a few of her near-by friends looked over in surprise. Harry Potter! Harry Potter was asking Jemima Winters to the ball. They waited, wondering what her answer would be.

Jemima closed her mouth and glanced from Harry to Hermione with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Is this a joke 'Mione?" she asked, a slightly upset tone to her voice as her lip trembled.

"No!" Hermione and Harry exclaimed. Harry reached for her small pale hand and held it in his.

"No joke Jemima. Hermione was helping me and Ron get dates and she recommended you. She said we'd get on well. She told me you loved Quidditch, Liz said the same thing." He pointed over his shoulder at Liz Blake on the other table, talking to Ron.

Jemima's worried expression turned to one of delight.

"I do love quidditch. I loved watching you paly in all your matches. Splendid seeking." She spoke with true passion written across her features.

"So, will you go to the ball with me?" Harry asked nervously.

"I'd love to go the ball with you…the best seeker in the school," she smiled and leaned across the table, whispering the last part in Harry's ear "but don't tell the Ravenclaw seeker I said so." She pulled back and grinned. Harry smiled with relief.

"I'm going to go. Harry, talk to Jemima for a bit, but not too long. Remember she's helping a friend. See you later Jemima, bye Harry." Hermione walked away and out of the Great Hall as she took one last glance at her two friends. She enjoyed playing Matchmaker.


	8. Chapter 8

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Eight

Hermione practically skipped to the Library. Creating buds of romance made her crave a good story. She entered the library silently and nodded a greeting to Madame Pince. Slowly she passed the hundreds of aisles, making her way to Muggle literature. Luckily, Draco wasn't there this time. She scanned the shelves, running her hand across the spines in a loving fashion. Eventually her trailing hand fell upon Romeo and Juliet.

She took it out and gazed at it. Her costume! She took the book over to a table and opened it. Normally she'd have read the play, and she would do after this, but first she wanted to see all the illustrations.

She flipped through the book, looking at different pictures, and every time she saw pictures of Romeo and/or Juliet she sighed. Their costumes looked wonderful, especially Juliet's. Maybe Confused Dragon used this book to help him create his 'masterpieces'. Hermione continued looking through the book until she reached the last scene and the last illustration.

Juliet and Romeo, lain upon each other on a stone alter, their blood mingling with one another's. Although it was a tragic sight, Hermione couldn't help but gasp loudly at Juliet's dress. It was beautiful.

Madame Pince looked over as she heard a gasp, ready to tell the student off, but then she saw who it was. Hermione. Reading Romeo and Juliet. Madame Pince chuckled, she wouldn't tell her off for that.

Hermione's eyes roamed over the dress. It had a white corset with a long flowing pale green skirt and matching sleeves. She wore a band of white roses in her hair. It was simple, yet elegant and beautiful. Hermione secretly hoped her dress would be similar to this. She tore her eyes from the image and returned to the beginning of the play and read to herself.

Down in the Great Hall, Draco was entering. Everything looked normal until he noticed something strange. Weasley with the Ravenclaws. Potter with the Hufflepuffs. What about Granger, was she with the Slytherins? Draco's heart jumped hopefully at the idea and he found himself looking for her at his table as he walked over and sat down. He was disappointed.

"Look." Crabbe grunted as Draco sat down. His buffoon of a friend pointed at Ron and Harry.

"I know." Draco sighed, rolling his eyes. He started to eat his breakfast, ignoring his friends who were talking about Potter and the Weasel. Didn't they have anything better to do? Obviously not.

Draco finished his breakfast and left the Great Hall. He went to the library. First thing he noticed was Hermione. Reading. Romeo and Juliet. Draco frowned, he'd wanted to read it. He strode over and sat down.

"Hey Granger." He hissed. "Hand the play over."

"What?!" Hermione looked up. "How dare you demand that. I was here first, I'm reading."

Draco growled quietly so Hermione would hear but Pince wouldn't.

"No amount of animal sounds will make me hand it over. Go pick another play."

"But I want this one." He whined.

"Stop being so childish. Leave me alone."

"Come on." Draco continued to whine a nasal tone. He knew it'd annoy her. Surely enough, it did.

"Fine, here take it." She pushed the play over to him and stood up.

"Thanks." He smiled, and Hermione was shocked. It was a genuine smile. She left the library in a daze.

Down in the Great Hall, Harry and Ron were back at their own table.

"Jemima's great. She's a loyal, loving friend. She's gone to help some girl called Sophie."

"Liz is wonderful. She's so friendly and chatty, and smart too. Real smart. Like Hermione. Not as smart. But still smart. So smart."

"Jemima loves quidditch, but can't play. She follows the sport like it's a religion though. Her favourite team are the Chuddley Cannons, so you two would get on, but it's me she likes."

"Liz's eyes are so amazing, like a cats. All wide, and yellowy brown with specks of gold. Her eyes look intelligent."

"I love Jemima's hair, it's so sleek and shiny and black like the night. Her nose is so cute."

"I can't believe how lucky I am to be going to the ball with Liz."

"I'm so glad Jemima's going with me."

The two boys had been talking like this for over ten minutes, and as they finished, they each sighed. Both were swooning over their dates.

"We owe Hermione big for this." Harry suddenly said.

"Yup." Ron said, bacon in his mouth.

"Ron, we already had breakfast." Harry laughed.

"I know, but it's still be served, and besides…talking with Liz worked up my appetite."

Harry's stomach growled.

"Good point. Same here." He began to eat as well.

Hermione walked into the Great Hall to see if her friends were still there talking to her female friends and they were there, just not with Liz or Jemima. Instead, they were eating. She laughed and walked over, sitting across from them.

"You've already had breakfast."

"I know, but…talking to my date…made me hungry." Harry said, swallowing his food.

"Me too." Ron added as he swigged some pumpkin juice.

"So, it went well?" She asked hopefully.

The boys nodded vigorously.

"Great!" Hermione clapped her hands together. Hermione hugger her friends over the table. "I've got to go write a letter now, but I'll see you in the common room okay."

The boys nodded and continued to eat as she left.

Up in the Gryffindor common room Hermione was writing to Confused Dragon. She was just generally talking to him, telling him her thoughts, some of the things that had happened to her lately without revealing names. She ended the letter by expressing her excitement over the ball. Then she signed it, kissed it and rushed off to the Owlery where she posted it before returning to the common room to find Harry and Ron there. They waved at her and she walked over, sitting down. She looked around the common room. A lot more people were up and awake now, so it wasn't as quiet as before.

"So?" She asked. "I don't even know what costumes you and your dates will be wearing. Tell me please."

"Liz and I are going as Oberon and Titania." Ron told Hermione. "She's muggle-born and a great fan of Shakespeare."

"Me too! That's how we met and became friends. In the muggle literature section of the library."

Ron smiled at this little piece of history.

"What about you?" she turned to Harry.

"I'm going to be Neo and she's going to be Trinity. Luckily her hair is already short, so it won't be that bad to cut off an extra few inches." Harry told Hermione, who being a muggle herself, knew about 'The Matrix'. "She didn't know who they were at first, but I explained it. She's pureblood, so doesn't know the muggle world that well."

"Still, it's a great idea. Well done both of you, I love your costume ideas and can't wait to see them."

"What about you?" Harry asked.

"Oh…I'm going as Juliet."

"Who's your Romeo?" Ron asked, as he still didn't know who her date was.

"It's a secret." She grinned as the boys frowned. She definitely wouldn't be telling.


	9. Chapter 9

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Nine

The next day Hermione's dress had arrived like she'd been told it would have done, and staying true to her word, she took it to her dormitory and left it unopened. She was looking forward to seeing it and wearing it.

During the week leading up to the ball Hermione and Draco corresponded continually through letters, sometimes several each day. They found their attraction for each other growing, and had even hinted at this in letters. Both were voicing their anticipation of the ball in every letter.

Soon enough it was the night of the ball - Friday. Hermione had received Draco's reply to her letter that morning at the Great Hall whilst eating breakfast, and she'd let out a small cheer when she read it.

**Dear MM,**

**We've grown closer and closer, and become better friends since the first time we spoke together through letters, and tonight is the night we meet. I am so excited. I hope you are too. Well, I bet you are because not only do you meet me at last but you also get to see you dress which you've probably been dying to see. So, go, flee from the Great Hall (where I'm going to assume you are when you get my letter) and see your dress. Hopefully you'll love it, and hopefully I'll love seeing you in it tonight. I shall meet you in the centre of the dance floor at nine o'clock, thirty minutes after the ball starts. I will recognize you from your dress, but you might not recognize me as you haven't seen my costume, but have no fear…I shall approach you. I will see you soon, my masked beauty. Until then I shall wait,**

**Love,**

**CD.**

She had ran from the Great Hall to see her dress and actually fallen onto the floor at the sheer beauty of it. It was very similar the dress from the last page like she had hoped. It had alterations of course because Confused Dragon designed the dress.

It had a corset top but it wasn't white, it was light gold. It had lovely glitter and sequins and other shiny golden trinkets covering it to make it gorgeous.

Then there was a long flowing skirt which was very similar to the book because it was soft and silky, but this wasn't green it was red. "_Like blood."_ Hermione shivered at that thought, but threw it away. "_Like rose petals. It is the same colour as rose petals."_ She smiled, roses are much more pleasant.

She stepped back from the dress, taking it in as a whole. The gold corset, the red sleeves and skirt. Hermione gasped. _'Gryffindor colours. Oh, how thoughtful.'_ She sat on her bed and smiled. Confused Dragon had put effort into this.

She took the dress of the hanger and held it against herself in the mirror. She'd look wonderful, something she felt she rarely did. She twirled around a bit, laughing happily, before putting the dress away and grabbing her bag to go to lessons before this evening when the ball would take place. First lesson of the day was transfiguration. Hermione sighed. She loved learning but was so excited about tonight.

It was going to be a long day.

Draco was eating his eggs and bacon in the great hall as he wondered if Misunderstood Muggle-born had received his letter about tonight and about the dress. His thoughts were interrupted by a squealing cheer. He looked up and noticed Hermione on the Gryffindor table looking very happy. _'Probably just got asked to the ball by Potter or something.'_ He sneered at the sight of her leaving. He returned to his breakfast, ignoring Pansy's attempts to talk to him.

Draco had left the hall after eating his breakfast, and returned to his dormitory for his things. He wished this day would go fast because he desperately wanted to go to the ball. Most of the student population was thinking along the same lines as him. Everyone had a gloomy look on their face as they walked to their lessons. If the word 'ball' was heard though, these expressions momentarily changed to ones of excitement. Draco grinned uncharacteristically.

He entered the transfiguration classroom and was surprised to see Hermione Granger looking gloomy as well, which is something he'd never expect of the 'always eager to learn know-it-all'. He thought nothing more of it as he sat down and prepared for the lesson.

Hermione sat chewing on the end of her sugar-quill with a saddened expression on her face. Oh, how she wished for the day to fly by.

Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the glass, glaring and her gloomy students.

"What on earth is wrong with you all?" she asked.

The students mumbled and grumbled incoherently. She frowned.

"Is it because of the ball?" she asked. Everyone peaked up at the word. She sighed. "Obviously it is so."

She walked towards the board and wiped the instructions from it. The students were shocked, maybe she'd let them go early. However, they were disappointed when she put up new instructions. There was a collective groan from the Slytherins and Gryffindors. That was until Hermione suddenly shouted.

"Are we really?"

The students glanced at her and then at the board.

"Yes Miss Granger we are. I wasn't going to start this until the summer term but I guess it would lift your spirits because it is one of the most fun transfiguration modules."

The class read the instructions and smiles spread on their faces. They'd be transfiguring clothes.

So for the next two hours the students changed their clothes, and other student's clothes, into an array of items, some of which were rather hilarious, an example being when Neville's robes where transfigured into a pink bikini.

When the lesson ended for lunch the students left with a much happier aura surrounding them. After lunch though they were back to their gloomy selves as they headed to their next lessons.

After grueling lessons, it was finally time for the ball. The older students rushed to their dormitories to prepare and get ready and the younger students headed to the great hall for dinner. The older students attending the ball would eat there, so the older students had eaten yet and some stomachs were grumbling – Ron's in particular.

The younger students walked to their common rooms, passing older students in various costumes. They were disappointed not to be going, but the students who were going were incredibly excited.

Draco left his common room in a hurry, dressed in his Romeo costume. He barged past students, eager to get to the Great Hall before everyone else. He entered, was surprised at the beauty of the hall, and then found a seat on the edge. He sat down, levitated some food over, ate, and waited for people to enter. Soon enough students began to enter.

Ron and Harry left the common room with Hermione. They had both commented on how beautiful she looked with her dress on, her curly brown hair loose in waves cascading down her back, and natural looking makeup that highlighted her full lips and large caramel coloured eyes.

Outside the Great Hall doors Ron and Harry met their dates and together the five of them entered the wonderfully decorated Great Hall. They gasped at the sight. The hall was lavishly decorated with the house colours in decorations, fountains sprouting drinks, tables of food, people dressed in wonderful costumes, and many other wonderful things. The whole room was so beautiful it was almost indescribable. Their collective gasps were quite loud they noticed as several masked students, strangers to them, looked over.

Draco looked around as people started to fill in, and he heard a collective gasp by the entrance. He saw a group of five students huddled together. Due to this being a costume ball he couldn't tell who they were, but he was shocked to see a Juliet standing with them. There was Misunderstood Muggle-born, and she looked beautiful. Draco grinned to himself. He glanced at his watch, only fifteen minutes to wait. He entered the crowd, mingling around, no-one able to tell who he was apart from a few select Slytherins and so on.

Hermione parted from her friends and their dates and entered the crowd, eager to find Confused Dragon. She couldn't wait fifteen minutes. She glanced around, trying to find someone dressed like a Romeo. She found no-one.

Draco watched her as she moved around, searching for him. Eventually she headed to the centre of the dance floor. He followed. It was time.

After fifteen minutes of searching, a wonderful way to pass the time, she headed for the direct centre of the dance floor. She turned around, continuing to look, when she felt a finger tap her shoulder.


	10. Chapter 10

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Ten

Hermione turned around, her dress swishing. Her eyes fell upon someone she recognised but couldn't place a finger on who it was. _'He is dressed like someone out of Shakespeare but not Romeo. Is he Confused Dragon?' _she asked herself _'and if he is, who is he. I just can't…think who he is.'_

"Hermione, is that you?" the voice behind the mask asked and Hermione gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth in realization.

"Neville?! You're Confused Dragon?"

Neville Longbottom nodded; slightly confused at the dragon part Hermione was talking about.

"How are you Hermione, you look wonderful. Can I get you a drink?" he asked politely as he bowed before her. Hermione, slightly disappointed that Confused Dragon was Neville, nodded. He disappeared into the crowds.

Draco was only two metres away from his Juliet when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and he was once again in awe of her beauty. He watched as the two conversed and then the male disappeared into the crowd. Draco took this as his chance to meet her. He stepped forward and whispered in her ear.

"Misunderstood Muggle-born?"

Hermione jumped as a silky voice whispered in her ear. She turned, yet again, and came face to face with a very handsome, masked young man wearing Shakespearian clothes. _'Phew, Neville wasn't Confused Dragon. This must be him.' _She looked at his costume. That was how she imagined Romeo. This person's costume was in the same colours as her – red and gold. Whoever he was, he looked amazing in the costume. As if he was going to start spouting Shakespeare quotes any minute now. Just then she noticed his hair. White-blonde. And his eyes, she noticed those next. Grey. Hermione's eyes widened behind her mask.

"Draco Malfoy?" Hermione's jaw dropped. "You're Confused Dragon?"

'_Confused Dragon is Draco Malfoy. This can't be. Draco is an evil, mean little cockroach who has bullied me for years because I'm muggle-born. He can't be the nice young man I know and trust to be Confused Dragon. But, he must be. All these times he's told me he plays up to a character and lives behind a façade. That no-one knows the real him and how he wants to be a medi-wizard. Everyone expects him to be a death eater or something. Maybe…maybe Draco is decent after all. He says he doesn't mind muggle-born and he's already accepted me, but will he accept me when he finds out who I am…Hermione Granger. Do I tell him?'_

Hermione opened her mouth to speak. She closed it.

"I know my costume isn't good at hiding who I am." Draco apologized, spreading his arms.

"No, I know exactly who you are." Hermione snarled slightly "I'm sorry, it was a mistake coming here tonight."

Hermione hitched up her skirt and walked away from Draco. Draco was surprised, and he followed her.

"Wait…wait." He grabbed her arm, turning her around. "It isn't a mistake."

"Do you even know who I am?" Hermione asked, her caramel eyes blazing behind her mask.

"Of course I do!" Draco exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "You're Misunderstood Muggle-born. You're the girl I've been waiting to meet. I know exactly who you are! What's your name?"

Before Hermione could do or say anything a voice announced.

"I'm back with our drinks"

The person followed the voice. Neville stood there with two drinks in his hands. He looked from Hermione to this stranger and noticed the similarity in their costumes. This stranger, whoever he was, was wearing a Romeo-styled costume in the same shades of red and gold. "Oh…you've got a date. Sorry." Neville was about to walk away when he also noticed who this person was, "Draco Malfoy?"

Draco sighed. Too many people were recognizing him. '_Damn this uncommon hair.'_ He laughed to himself inwardly.

"Demetrius, I presume?" Draco looked at the costume of the rounded young man before him.

"Close…Lysander." Neville smiled, surprised at how…nice…Draco was being. Neville pinned it down to the fact that Draco hadn't recognised him as a Gryffindor, which probably meant Draco didn't know he was talking to Hermione. Neville handed the drink to Hermione, grinned and then disappeared into the crowd. Hermione was pleased he hadn't used her name, otherwise Draco would realize who she was and probably dismiss her.

"What about Pansy, your girlfriend?" Hermione inquired.

"It's over."

From the far corner of the dance room Pansy and her friends looked over. She could see her ex-boyfriend talking to a girl. She scowled.

"So I guess you were expecting some studious looking guy who spends his time in the library researching healing spells." Draco stated simply.

"Something like that. Come on. You're Draco Malfoy. Slytherin muggle-hater and a popular icon here at school. And a wannabe medi-wizard with a heart? You can't be both people."

"I'm not!" Draco defended himself.

"So who are you?" Hermione asked.

Draco paused before answering.

"Remember three days ago I wrote 'I live in a world full of people thinking I'm someone I'm not, and when I talk to you…"

"I'm who I want to be.'" Hermione finished his own quote off for him.

"Give me a chance to be that guy. Take a stroll in the grounds with me?"

Hermione stared appraisingly at Draco. She nodded. Draco offered her hand and she took it.

Across the room Harry and Ron were talking with their dates. Harry noticed Hermione and her 'date'. He elbowed Ron and the two of them stared. They grinned at each other before resuming their conversations with their dates.

Draco and Hermione walked outside to find it had also been decorated. A small courtyard was there for the students to use, with wonderful flowers climbing up wooden supports. There was a pathway covered with an arching tunnel-like structure, also covered with flowers, and what looked like faeries fluttering around. The two students walked slowly underneath it.

"Would you tell me who you were if I guessed it right?" Draco asked.

"Maybe." Hermione smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, can I ask you a few questions?" Draco asked hopefully. "Say…ten?"

"How about five?"

"I'll take what I can get." He joked, spreading his arms. He turned to Hermione.

"First question. You are actually a student at Hogwarts right?"

"Of course!" said Hermione as she laughed.

"Just checking, you never know. Okay. Given the choice would you rather go to a Quidditch match for a mindless game of Quidditch, or to the library to curl up with a good book?"

"The library," Hermione answered immediately. "But what was the point of that question?"

"Well, you just eliminated over four/fifths (4/5) of the girls at this school." Draco replied. "Besides, I was curious as to see your answer. I know you like books, but I didn't know if you liked Quidditch or not."

"From the sound of the question it sounds like you don't either."

"I don't, but people expected me to play. I only joined the team because Potter got in during first year and my father wouldn't stand for me being second best to him. I was made to play. I don't like it that much really. I also went to the world cup but that was boring and dire, then there was that whole death-eater thing. I ran into Potter and his friends that time, but I managed to steer them and Hermione from danger, without raising suspicion." Hermione was shocked by this revelation, but didn't show it. "Anyway, enough of Quidditch. Next question. Were you disappointed when you found out I was Draco Malfoy?"

"Surprisingly no." said Hermione, shocked that she had admitted that.

Draco smiled. He turned to Hermione and Hermione to him.

"You have such beautiful eyes." Hermione blushed, averted her gaze and walked onwards, Draco followed. They continued to walk until they reached a small, beautiful gazebo.

"If I asked you to dance, would that count as a question?"

Draco offered Hermione his hand. She giggled and took it, as he led her to the Gazebo.

"But there's no music." She said.

"It doesn't matter." He brought Hermione's hand up to his shoulder, and placed his on her waist. They joined hands and started to sway. They were surprised when music appeared magically from no-where. They smiled to each other and danced.

"Are you out of questions?" Hermione asked as they danced.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Hermione paused. She cocked her eyebrow as she searched Draco's eyes with her own.

"I'll let you know." Draco nodded.

"But I've seen you before?" Draco asked.

"Yes."

"How could I have seen you and not know you are now."

"Maybe you were looking, but you weren't seeing. You have one last question." She reminded him.

Draco smiled, walked to the edge of the gazebo, picked a rose and came back to her. He held it out for her to take.

"Do you, Misunderstood Muggle-born, regret meeting me tonight?"

"No. Now let me ask you something. Do you want to see me again after tonight?"

Draco paused as if thinking and Hermione frowned. Then he grinned to let her know he was messing around.

"Absolutely." He reached up to cup her face, about to kiss her when they were distracted by a clock chiming. Hermione pulled back. "I have to go." She walked off extremely quickly, holding up her skirts, unable to believe she'd almost kissed Draco Malfoy.

Draco ran after her, but she had disappeared, leaving behind only her scent and the memory of her eyes gazing into his.


	11. Chapter 11

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Eleven

Hermione rushed up to Harry and Ron, holding the skirts of her dress in hands. She had just ran to them from the gardens so she was a little flushed and breathing quite fast.

"Harry…Ron…I've got to go." She said.

Ron dropped his glass of punch on the floor. It shattered.

"What…why?" he asked. Hermione vanished the spilt punch and fixed the glass with her wand.

"Because Ronald I want to go." She said

"But the party has only been on a little while. There's ages to go yet. Why leave now?" Harry rephrased Ron's words into a more suitable way.

"Look boys. I met my date here this evening…"

"Ooh, who is he, can you tell us now?" Ron interrupted, a little excited.

"Yes I can tell you…but first I have to say that…we didn't know each other, we were corresponding through letters with no idea who the other one was…but tonight we met…and he was…he was…"

"He was who Hermione?" Harry asked impatiently as Hermione stuttered.

"Draco Malfoy." She whispered "and I'm leaving because we were getting on so well and…and I nearly kissed him," Harry's hand had tightened around his glass of punch, but he hadn't dropped it, and Ron looked shocked. "I'm sorry guys. I didn't know it was him."

"How did you react when you found out?" Harry asked.

"I was shocked and surprised and I tried to walk away but he convinced me to go on a walk with him and get to know him a bit more…he was convincing. He really isn't the bad person everyone thinks he is. Really, he isn't."

Harry scoffed.

"No, I'm serious. He is actually a kind, gentle person who just lives up to the reputation everyone else has placed on his shoulders. He is like you Harry. You have to live up to your hero façade when really you want to be a normal boy like any other. He has to live up to his evil façade when really he wants to be a kind, good wizard. Please, my friends, just…don't…don't do anything stupid over this." Hermione begged.

"How did he react when he found out you were you?" Ron asked. Hermione groaned and bowed her head.

"He didn't react at all because I never told him."

"You never told him!" Harry said loudly. A few people turned to watch.

"Be quiet." Hermione hissed. She started to walk towards the entrance of the Great hall to exit and her friends followed.

On the other side of the hall Draco had just come in through the door, looking for Hermione.

Throughout the evening there had been a competition running for the best costumes and the winners were just about to be announced.

Hermione turned to her friends as they stood a few metres away from the door.

"I have to go before Draco comes alright. Don't tell him it was me. It is better he never finds out. Don't worry though, he'll soon forget about me." Hermione kissed her friends cheeks and then nodded her head in the direction of their dates, reminding them to return to them.

"As you all know, tonight has been a wonderful ball, and although it isn't over, we decided to announce the winners of the costume party this evening. So, the winners are Draco Malfoy as Romeo, and his date, Juliet!" McGonagall's magnified voice rang out over the crowded room as the music cut out. The crowds started to clap. Hand slapped Draco on the back as they pushed him to the front. Draco didn't want to go there but at least his date, Juliet, would be there too. That was when he noticed she was leaving the room. He rushed through the crowds toward the door, trying to reach her.

Hermione turned and saw Draco running through the crowd toward her, as the crowd clapped all around him. She'd heard the announcement but it hadn't made her want to stay. She was more determined to leave after that.

Hermione ran through the doors and along the corridors up to the Gryffindor common room.

Draco came out of the hall and caught a flash of his date's dress turning around the corner. He followed, crying out "Wait!"

Hermione reached the portrait, practically shouted the password, and then leaped inside. The painting closed behind her, enclosing her in the crowded common room full of younger students. None of them recognised her though. She ran past and into her dormitory.

Draco ran up a staircase and expected to see his Juliet close by, but she had disappeared. He let out a roar and thumped his fists against a painting of an overweight woman.

"Damn." He cursed under his breath as he stared at the ground. That was when he noticed it.

A silver bracelet of some kind with little silver trinkets and charms hanging off. He bent down and picked it up, running it through his fingers. He nodded and smiled. This belonged to his date. He looked around and then noticed the painting before him.

"Excuse me, did this fall of a girl who was here moments ago?" he asked. The overweight woman nodded. Draco grinned and ran off. He had something to remember her by.

Inside her dormitory Hermione was undressing and returning herself to normal. She was removing her jewelry when she noticed it was missing.

"Oh no!" She gasped, placing her foot on her desk and running her hand around her ankle. Her favourite silver anklet was gone…the one covered with charms that meant things to her. There was a wand, a closed book, a cat, a lion, a cauldron, a witch's hat and an open book. Seven in all. Hermione's eyes watered as she realised she'd lost it. She hoped and prayed someone would find it and return it to her though. Hermione decided to mourn no more, and instead she climbed into her bed, and fell asleep. Her costume lay wrapped up at the bottom of her wardrobe, a sign of the memories she had of her and Draco's letters and meeting this evening.

Draco reached the Great Hall, holding the anklet in his hand. His last precious reminder of her.

Harry and Ron had watched Hermione leave and Draco follow, which confused them. It was almost as if he cared about her, which was something they didn't believe was possible. They continued their conversations with their dates, had a few dances, and were about to leave the ball when Draco returned. He looked both sad and happy, and had something in his hand. Ron peered closer, unable to tell what it was, but Harry knew. It was Hermione's favourite piece of jewelry, her anklet that her parents had bought her when she'd gotten her letter from Hogwarts telling her she was a witch. One of her happiest moments in her life. Harry grabbed Ron's arm and led him away, whispering in his ear what Draco was holding. Ron's eyes had widened. The boys had taken their dates back to their common rooms before returning to the North tower. They tried to get into the girls dormitories to talk to Hermione, but the stairs turned into a slide again…they'd forgotten. They sighed, determined to talk to her tomorrow, and then they went to their own dormitories and fell asleep after taking off their costumes.


	12. Chapter 12

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Twelve

The next day Harry and Ron got up early to wait for Hermione in the common room. She came down, saw them and turned to go straight back up the stairs but they grabbed an arm each and stopped her.

"Come on, we're going to breakfast." Said Harry.

They walked her out of the common room and down to the Great Hall in silence. Eventually Ron brought up Draco.

"We talked this morning whilst waiting for you, and…" he breathed in deeply. "We've decided it is alright. You obviously like him for who he is. We can accept that. All you have to do now is let him accept you. You've got to tell him who you are."

"I can't!" said Hermione. The boys raised their eyebrows. "Besides," she shrugged them off of her arms "he's probably forgotten all about me."

The three of them pushed open the doors to the hall and gasped. There were at least a dozen magical posters on the four walls. They walked up to the closest one and read it.

It had a picture of Juliet, with a blank face, and tendrils of brown curling hair piled on her head. The caption read 'Have you seen my Juliet?'

"Looks like he hasn't forgotten you." Ron teased. Hermione lightly punched his arm as they walked to the Gryffindor table and ate breakfast.

Draco stormed through the corridors of the castle, as many as he could, all floors. He placed posters on every wall. All over the place. He had to find her. By any means necessary. If not to tell her he loved her, _'Wait…I love her…yes I love her…_' then to at least return her bracelet…or at best, have her return his affections.

Draco plastered his last magical poster to the wall. He'd woken up at four o'clock that morning, unable to sleep. It was then that he created the poster and started putting them on the walls of the castle, starting in the Great Hall and ending here, in the Owlery.

The owlery. The place where he'd sent off his letters to her…to his Juliet. Draco's face became sharp with determination. He had to find her.

Hermione finished her bacon and eggs and turned to her friends.

"So, how was your evening with your dates?" she asked.

"Great." Said Ron, swallowing some porridge.

"Fantastic." Said Harry, wiping his mouth.

She grinned at her friends.

"Great. Are you going to date them or anything?"

"I already am." Ron said. "I asked Liz to be my official girlfriend about…ten…ten minutes before you came up to us." Hermione nodded, smiling goofily.

"I haven't asked Jemima yet….but I'm going to. I was waiting for her to come into the Great Hall before I…" Harry stopped talking as Jemima entered the room. His jaw dropped ever so slightly. He looked at his friends before standing up and walking over. He tapped her shoulder lightly. She spun around and smiled.

Hermione and Ron couldn't hear what he was saying but she was nodding continuously and smiling, so it seemed good. Then, Harry blushed and his friends knew he'd just asked. Jemima paused, dramatizing the fact she was thinking (faking that she was thinking more like) before nodding. Harry sighed with relief. He nodded his head at Hermione and Ron, kissed her cheek lightly; much to the delight of the giggling girls surrounding them, before Harry came back over. He plunked himself down, looking suave and sophisticated. He ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more, before announcing.

"Well…I did it," His friends smiled "and she said yes."

"We guessed mate." Said Ron, punching Harry's arm lightly. The three friends smiled at each other. They got up and left the Great Hall. As they walked up to Gryffindor tower, the three friends talked.

Down in the Great Hall Draco entered after putting all his posters up. He sat between Crabbe and Goyle, Blaise opposite him.

"Hey Draco." Blaise greeting him "The lads and I have got a surprise for you."

"I hate surprises." Draco said unenthusiastically.

"Oh, you'll like this one Malfoy." Grunted Goyle.

The three lads stood up, and Draco grudgingly did so as well. He followed his friends out into the grounds and down to the lake, which acted for the backdrop of their surprise. They led him around a rock and…

'_Oh, god what have they done?'_ Draco thought.

About two dozen excited girls stood in a line. Crabbe and Goyle shoved Draco down onto a rock, seating him.

"Right…Draco, we asked all the girls here if they were at the ball with you last night and these are the ones that said yes." Blaise announce as he magically magnified his voice.

"I'm going to kill you guys." Draco muttered. Crabbe and Goyle snickered.

"First up is Susan Bones. She's a pureblood Gryffindor and she likes playing music, drawing pictures and studying Herbology. I give you Susan Bones." Blaise pointed at Susan. Draco shook his head and Susan walked away, looking slightly hurt. A pretty looking girl with short blonde hair and freckles walked up, blushing.

"Next is Jennifer Grahams. She is a muggle-born Ravenclaw and she likes…"

"Enough!" Draco suddenly stood off the rock, talking in a loud voice that made a few girls jump. "Look…you're beautiful alright…you all are, and one day each of you will find your Romeo…but it's not me." Draco said softly. The girl nodded mutely.

"What is going on here?" A stern voice rang out. The boys turned around to see Professor McGonagall storming over. A collective groan went up. "This is terrible. You boys can not do this. Girls, leave now." She shooed the boys away. "Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy…I expected better of you…Hi Blaise." McGonagall smiled at Zabini, who looked terrified. The old witch walked away, followed by several bashful girls.

"That was pointless." Draco began to walk back to the castle, his hands balled into fists out of frustration. "I'm no closer to finding my Juliet."


	13. Chapter 13

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I'm sorry I've taken so long to update, my life has been busy with lots of college work – I'll hopefully update more chapters soon and eventually get this fanfic finished. I know there have been faults in the plot and typos etc and I apologise for those. Also, I realize this story has some pretty much identical things as the film, but also misses out moments; I just hope that doesn't bother people.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Thirteen

Whilst Draco was outside with his friends, trying to find his Juliet, Hermione returned to her room. When she arrived she discovered a new letter on her bed, addressed to Misunderstood Muggleborn. The owl that had delivered it, Demetrius, was waiting patiently for her. She stroked his feathers and fed him an owl-treat before he left, and then she sat on her bed and opened the crisp parchment to read.

**Dear MM,**

**I need to know who you are. I can't take my mind off you. Please tell me who you are.**

**I had such a great time last night with you. I just felt we had a connection. Surely you feel the same. I'm glad you weren't disappointed when you found out who I was, and I don't think I'll be disappointed either, when I learn who you are.**

**Are you avoiding talking to me though because you found out I'm Draco Malfoy? If so, please don't stop talking to me. I love the letters I get from you. I know I've seen you around, but please…tell me who you are. **

**I wait patiently to know who owns my heart,**

**Love Draco Malfoy.**

Hermione read the letter and smiled. She went over to her desk and took out a piece of parchment and started to write.

**Dear Draco,**

**I got your letter and have to tell you, I feel the same. I also think that maybe it is fair for me to tell you who I am because you do actually know me.**

**My name is **

"Hermione!" a voice rang out. Hermione dropped her quill and turned. In the doorway stood Padma Patil, a Ravenclaw whose sister was a Gryffindor which meant she was allowed entry into the girls' dorms to see her sister when she wanted to.

"Yes Padma?" Hermione said politely as she folded the letter she'd been writing so Padma couldn't read it.

"I was hoping you'd be able to help me with my work, I'm a bit behind. You're the smartest girl in school, so I knew you'd help me." Padma smiled sweetly.

Hermione sighed ever so slightly.

"Sure." She replied, living up to her 'smart girl' reputation.

"Great. Oh, and could you possibly make it sound like me when you write it?" Padma asked.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. '_Padma expects me to write her work, not help her with it.'_ She thought angrily

"Possibly." Hermione said after a short pause. Just as she was about to dismiss Padma she heard Harry call her name. "Be right back." Hermione said as she left the room, forgetting about the letters.

Padma came in and sat on Hermione's bed as she waited. As she sat, her bum landed on something that made a noise. She pulled it out from underneath her to find it was a piece of parchment; typical of Hermione Granger. Padma changed her mind when she read the letter.

"Hermione was at the ball with Draco Malfoy. Juliet was Hermione Granger?!" Padma said aloud in shock after reading it. Without noticing, her sister, Parvati, had entered and stood in the doorway. After hearing Padma's announcement she grinned and left, a plan forming in her mind. Padma heard Hermione coming back and stood up, placing the letter back where it had been, hoping Hermione wouldn't notice the crinkles or anything.

"Right, so, I'll do that work for you then, this one time. Okay." Hermione said upon entering, having had a change of heart seeing as Harry had just asked Hermione pretty much the same thing. If she could do it for Harry, she could do it for Padma. Plus she just wanted Padma out of the way. Hermione had never really liked the Parvati twins, especially since the Yule Ball when they'd been the dates for her best friends and avoided them ever since. In fact, the twin asking her for help avoids Ron constantly and it actually ahs affected his self esteem. Hermione suddenly regretted her decision to help Padma, but couldn't take it back now.

"Great!" Padma exclaimed. She smiled at Hermione and left. Once she was gone, Hermione unfolded her letter to Draco and screwed it up before throwing it in the bin. She couldn't tell Draco who she was.

Meanwhile Parvati was heading down to the Great Hall to find Draco. She arrived and saw her sister, Padma, was already there.

Draco was leaving the Great Hall when the twins arrived. Once out of the doors, Padma approached him.

"Hey Draco." She smiled flirtatiously at him.

"Um…hi…" Draco replied, trying to think who this girl was. "Can I…help you?"

"Yes, you see, Draco, I'm Juliet." Padma said as she licked her lips. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Padma, what are you doing here?" Parvati asked as she appeared beside her sister, looking furious.

"I'm here talking to my Romeo." Padma said, eyes wide with anger because her sister had arrived.

"What do you mean, your Romeo? He is my Romeo, seeing as I am Juliet." Parvati said.

"No you're not, I am!" Padma said.

"No, I am!" Parvati nearly shouted.

"Ladies, ladies. Calm down. I can resolve this matter." Draco interrupted. The girls stopped squabbling and turned to Draco, each smiling sweetly and batting her eyelids. "Juliet dropped something on the floor that night. What was it?"

The girls paused. They had no idea.

"Her wand." Parvati guessed wrongly, grasping at straws. "I mean…a wand stick thing." Draco shook his head. Draco turned to Padma.

"Oh…a sock." Padma said stupidly. Both Draco and Parvati looked at her strangely.

"A sock?!" Parvati repeated.

"It was the first thing that popped into my head and you said a wand stick thing. What the heck is that?"

"Draco." Parvati called out as Draco crept away to return to his dormitory whilst they argued. He was expecting an important letter from his real Juliet. Parvati glared at her sister. "Look what you did. He's gone. You always ruin everything for me. I was meant to be Juliet, I'm the oldest."

"By a minute and twenty-eight seconds and you never let me forget it." Padma screeched as she withdrew her wand to duel with her sister.

Draco glanced back to see the twin sisters throwing hexes at each other. He shook his head, amused. He reached the Slytherin common room down in the dungeons and headed straight for his dormitory. The letter he was waiting for was there already. He rushed over, glad that she had replied. When he opened it though, it wasn't what he was expecting.

**To Draco Malfoy.**

**We have decided to offer you a placement at St Mungo's. As you know, around this time in your seventh year, the school holds further career appointments and your year head, Professor Horace Slughorn, informed us that you were considering a career in healing. We were surprised to hear that you would want to be a medi-wizard due to your background, but we've decided to give you the opportunity nonetheless because your grades are exceptional. **

**Please reply with your answer soon. If you would like to take up this apprenticeship then we will send you the details quickly. There will be no fee for your training but you will have to buy your own books etc. We look forward to hearing from you.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Helen Picoult,**

**Head medi-witch at St Mungo's**

Draco's jaw dropped with astonishment. Slughorn had told St Mungo's that his ideal job was there. Suddenly Draco leapt into the air with delight, letter grasped in his hand.

"Yes!" he exclaimed happily. He was getting a chance to do what he wanted to. He sat down and quickly wrote a positive response, sending it off with Demetrius. Then he wrote a second letter to his parents, to inform them what he'd been offered and that he had accepted. He went to the owlery to post it.

Meanwhile Hermione was in her room reading, still wondering whether or not to write a letter to Draco. Suddenly an owl appeared in her window, obviously delivering a letter. She allowed it inside and took the letter from it, and watched as it flew away quickly. She opened the letter.

**To Hermione Granger.**

**St Mungo's is delighted to offer you an apprenticeship placement. Your year head, Professor Minerva McGonagall, informed us that you were considering a career as a medi-witch following your careers appointment. We were pleased that you were considering healing as a career due to you excellent grades and all the things you've done over your years at Hogwarts. **

**Please reply to us with your answer to whether or not you want the placement. If you would like to take up this apprenticeship then we will send you the details quickly. There will be no fee for your training but you will have to buy your own books etc. We look forward to hearing from you.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Helen Picoult,**

**Head medi-witch at St Mungo's**

Hermione read the letter and as she did her smile got wider and wider.

"Yes!" She exclaimed triumphantly once finished. She'd gotten in!

Hermione rushed over to her desk and wrote a reply, which she sent off immediately so they'd know she accepted. She used Hedwig. Then she wrote a letter for her parents to inform them; they knew she desperately wanted to be a medi-witch. She had no owl to post it with though as Pig couldn't handle long journeys and Hedwig was already gone. Hermione took her letter and headed for the owlery.


	14. Chapter 14

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I'm sorry I've taken so long to update, my life has been busy with lots of college work – I'll hopefully update more chapters soon and eventually get this fanfic finished. I know there have been faults in the plot and typos etc and I apologise for those. Also, I realize this story has some pretty much identical things as the film, but also misses out moments; I just hope that doesn't bother people.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Fourteen

Draco was already in the owlery when Hermione arrived. She blushed and lowered her head. She approached an owl and began to attach a letter when Draco noticed her.

"Hey Hermione." He greeted politely. Hermione jumped and turned around to face Draco.

"Oh, hi Draco."

"What are you doing? I mean, what are you sending? I know what you're doing of course." Draco asked equally politely, without saying anything mean at all. He was treating Hermione really courteously which surprised her even more about what Draco is really like.

"A letter to my parents." Hermione replied.

"Saying?"

"That I've been offered a placement at St Mungo's." Hermione couldn't believe she'd told him. He'd probably laugh at her, even though he was being nicer.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Wow, that's amazing. So have I. I've just sent a letter to my parents also telling them I got a placement too."

"Wow that is amazing." Hermione was astonished. "You want to be a medi-wizard Draco?"

"Yeah. I do." Draco replied stiffly, expecting Hermione to laugh at him. After a short pause, where she didn't laugh, she finally said.

"Well done." Hermione smiled "That's a great decision and a good path to follow."

"Thanks." Draco smiled back. '_Hermione is actually a really nice girl. If only she thought I was nice too. Maybe she will one day, I can show her I'm actually a decent person. This apprenticeship will help because we both are going to be doing the same thing.'_ Draco thought, as he smiled.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd want to do that though. I mean. Well, sorry, but…your father and your history. I would have expected you to be different. Years of spending time with Harry does that to you. He was always suspicious of you, and of Professor Snape. Last year of course Professor Snape showed his true colours; he killed Professor Dumbledore," Draco flinched "but Harry was there and he told us about you…how you faltered. You couldn't, and didn't, want to go through with it. That's why this year he's been better around you. There is less animosity. And of course, you're more popular now than ever as a result of last year."

Draco nodded.

"I don't want to be popular though. It's not me. I'm not really like the Draco that everyone sees. I'm not evil. I'm good. My dad was a death eater, he made me one, but I didn't want the mark. Unfortunately I've got it. Nothing will ever get rid of it. But, it shows me, reminds me, what people see when they look at me. You'd think everyone would hate me, but they don't. I'm the school 'bad boy'. I don't want that though, it's a stupid reputation. I'm not like that. I just…can't show people who I really am. It's too different from the Draco that they know. So, I continue to live up to the reputation." Draco looked thoughtful as he paused. Then he looked at Hermione. "Hey, Hermione, do you ever feel like if you show people who you really are, they won't accept you?"

"Yeah, I do." Hermione replied slowly as she sent the owl off to her parents. She thought about what to say next carefully "Like being yourself isn't good enough."

"Right." Replied Draco, nodding his head.

"Like you're wearing a mask." Hermione added, biting her lip. Draco gazed at Hermione and tilted his head slightly at the comment before replying.

"That's exactly how I feel." Draco was surprised at how insightful Hermione was.

"You just want to be honest with this person and say 'This is me. I'm the one you're looking for'" Hermione said, treading on what felt to her like dangerous grounds. Surely he'd pick up on what she was saying.

"Yeah." Draco nodded.

"Draco, I'm," Hermione was about to confess she was Juliet.

"Hermione!" someone called her name. Hermione looked to the side. Neville was waiting to talk to her. "I need to talk to you."

"I've got to go anyway. Thanks. Very much." Draco said, walking away and out of the owlery before Hermione could tell him she was Juliet. Hermione walked over to Neville.

"Hey Neville, what is it?"

"You were talking to Draco. You're his Juliet aren't you?" Neville said. Hermione gasped.

"You know!" Neville nodded. "You haven't told anyone have you?" Neville shook his head. "Thank you. Please don't."

"I won't. I thought…well…we've got something in common."

"Which is…"

"The night you were with Draco at the ball…I was with Pansy Parkinson."

"Pansy?!" Hermione was shocked.

"Yeah, she was getting some grief from Vincent Crabbe and I kind of helped her out. She was grateful and, well, she kissed me." Neville blushed but smiled.

"Aw, how sweet," Hermione lied, trying not to grimace at the thought of lovely Neville with the ugly pug-faced cow. "Does she know it was you?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. I told her the day after the ball. She…well, she said nothing could ever happen between us, but not in a nasty way. Then, she just left. So, I came to say that maybe you shouldn't tell Draco you're Juliet. After watching you two talk though, I've changed my mind. You should tell him. So, now, instead, I wish you good luck." Neville said kindly, before leaving the owlery also. Hermione smiled and left also. _I'll tell Draco soon'_ she thought.

She went and found Harry and Ron.

"I talked to Draco today. Not as Juliet, but as Hermione. He didn't hate me. We actually got on." She smiled.

"So you told him everything?" Ron asked.

"Well, no, I didn't. I'm going to though, soon."

"When?" Harry asked.

"I'll tell him on Saturday, you know, tomorrow after the Quidditch match when Hufflepuff play Slytherin. I'll find him somewhere and confess who I am." Hermione said. Her friends smiled.

"Good for you. Good luck too" They said in unison. Hermione shook her head, grinning. _'More like Fred and George now than ever' _she thought to herself, amused.

Outside in the grounds of Hogwarts the Patil twins were talking to Pansy Parkinson and her friend Millicent Bulstrode. Both were 'crying' and had pieces of parchment in their hand.

"And then she told us she wanted to steal Draco away from you if it was the last thing she did." Parvati told Pansy.

"She has always been so jealous of you." Padma added as she sniffed loudly into a piece of tissue to be dramatic.

"Go on." Pansy urged.

"So, that was when she invented this 'Juliet' plot. She wrote a letter and addressed it to Draco. When he wrote back she continued to write to him in a way that made him feel attracted to her. She wanted to trick him into liking her so he'd dump you and go out with her after the ball." Parvati lied.

"We wanted to tell you sooner, but she said if we did, she'd curse us," Padma said before adding on the end in a hushed whisper "with the avada kedarva curse."

Pansy and Millicent shared a look that clearly showed they doubted that.

"If you don't believe us, read some of the letters she kept." Said Parvati as she placed the pieces of parchment in front of Pansy, who started to leaf through the letters, scanning each page. "She calls him Confused Dragon and she goes by the name Misunderstood Muggle-born…but her real name is Hermione Granger."

Pansy's face changed upon hearing that name, as did Millicent's. Pansy looked at the twins and said darkly.

"So…that little boyfriend stealing, bushy-haired, buck-toothed, know-it-all, mudbloos bookworm thinks she can take Draco away from me and get away with it. Well, we'll just see about that."

A few minutes later Padma had approached Luna Lovegood, who would be doing the commentary for the Quidditch match tomorrow.

"Hey Luna. Draco woke up late today and asked me to tell you he would like you to make a little announcement tomorrow before the match. Basically, he wants you to say 'Romeo would like to meet his Juliet today after the quidditch match' just before the game. After you say that, though, a few friends of mine and myself would like you to say 'but before then, some seventh-year students have made a little piece of drama to perform to the school to rouse team spirits.' Got that?" Padma said. Luna nodded, her eyes open vacantly. Padma placed a piece of parchment with those words written on in her hand anyway as a reminder. "Thanks, bye."

Padma walked away and joined her sister and the two Slytherin girls. They were off to rehearse their little play as part of their plan for revenge.


	15. Chapter 15

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

I'm sorry I've taken so long to update, my life has been busy with lots of college work – I'll hopefully update more chapters soon and eventually get this fanfic finished. I know there have been faults in the plot and typos etc and I apologise for those. Also, I realize this story has some pretty much identical things as the film, but also misses out moments; I just hope that doesn't bother people. I've also had Hermione do the little 'speech' thing in the Great Hall rather than before the game, because I had Pansy's little story at the last quidditch match of the year. Of course, people who have seen the film will know the ending. Nonetheless, thing will have changed.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Fifteen

The next day Hermione woke up bright and early. She went down to the Great Hall for breakfast where Ron and Harry were already eating.

"Looking forward to watching the match?" she asked.

Both boys nodded vigorously. It was the last match of the season and if Hufflepuff won then Gryffindor won the cup, but if Slytherin won then Gryffindor would come second and the Slytherin's would take the cup. Once the trio had finished breakfast they headed out to the game. Hermione had kept an eye out for Draco, but didn't see him until they were down in the stalls of the Quidditch arena.

Like she said she would, Luna made her announcement; not word for word, but close enough.

"Juliet, if you're listening, your Romeo, who everyone knows is Draco Malfoy, would like to meet you after this match has finished, which no doubt, Draco wants to win, seeing as he is the seeker for the Slytherins and has been since second year. Anyway, if you're here Miss Mysterious Juliet, he wants to meet you. He didn't say where, just that he wanted to." Luna said as her voice sped around the arena due to the 'sonorus' spell. Down where the teams were waiting Draco was looking a little confused, on the other hand, up in the stalls Hermione was smiling. Her friends nudged her and winked and Neville waved from where he was sat. Hermione waved back. "Before that little rendez-vous though, a few seventh year students have got a small performance to do for everyone…probably to entertain them, I'm not really sure. I can't think of any other reason. Anyway, Madam Hooch has authorized it, so here they come now; Pansy Parkinson, Padma Patil and Parvati Patil. A round of applause please audience, because once this is done, the game will begin!"

The entire stadium erupted in cheers, but the golden trio were looking worried. The three girls walked to the centre of the arena. Pansy applied the Sonorus charm on herself to magnify her voice and then to Padma, who was dressed in a Juliet-style costume, and Parvati, who had somehow got her hands on some Slytherin Quidditch robes.

Pansy began to tell a story.

"Once upon a time there was a snake-like student," Parvati stepped forward and bowed "He had a beautiful girlfriend and his dad was very wealthy and well known. But he still wasn't happy." Parvati sniffed loudly to show that she was upset. Padma shone the word 'aww' into the air with her wand. The audience all cried out Aww. Once it had died down, Pansy continued her story. "If only the student could find a princess, a Juliet, to kiss him and turn him into a prince and they could run away together." Padma stepped forward and blew kisses at members of the audience surrounding her. "One night after the slimy snake boy dumped his super-hot, popular girlfriend," Pansy smiled at her own self-compliment, "he met his princess." Parvati bowed to Padma, who curtsied. "Alas, the protagonist of our story not only had a secret identity, but also a secret relationship with a penpal called Misunderstood Muggle-born." Hermione's eyes widened. '_They are talking about me, I knew it, they're talking about me and Draco…do they know who I am?' _she thought, worried. Her friends looked equally worried beside her as the crowd 'oohed' and 'aahed' around them.

"This isn't good." Ron said quietly.

"Dear Misunderstood Muggle-born. I can't wait until we finally meet. You're the only one who understands the real me. The man who doesn't want to be what everyone expects him or wants him to be, but who wants to become a Medi-wizard at St Mungo's, with you." Parvati said in a low manly voice as she pretended to write a letter. Pansy looked at Draco with a smug look on her face.

"What are they talking about?" a Slytherin chaser said.

"Nothing." Draco replied quickly, not sure if the question was directed at him anyway, although it likely was because it was pretty obvious the man in this story was him.

"Dear Confused Dragon. I want you to know who I am, but I'm scared. I'm scared you'll reject me." Padma said, also pretending to write a letter. "Plus, I've never had a real kiss before." Padma tried to look innocent. The crowd laughed and once again went 'aww'.

"I can't believe they're reading our letters." Hermione said, tears springing to her eyes.

"Come on, let's go." Harry said.

"But our princess had a secret." Pansy resumed her story. "She wasn't royalty at all. She was a loser, a mudblood, a bookworm." Padma produced a book and began to read, but dropped it, and when she bent down to pick it up she fell flat on her face in the mud; splashing it down her dress and on her face. The crowd laughed. Hermione looked close to tears "And who, may you ask, is this imposter. Give it up for the pretend princess, know-it-all, Hermione Granger!" Pansy pointed her wand towards Hermione, sat up in the stalls, and sent a spell that made sparks fly around Hermione; drawing the crowds attention to her. Tears fell down her face as people pointed and laughed at her and called out 'know-it-all'. Draco looked up towards the sparks and saw Hermione. Hermione looked directly at him and could see the shame in his eyes. He looked away and she cried harder, wiping her eyes.

"Come on." Ron said, leading her away. Harry and Ron helping her leave as people continued to call out 'know-it-all' over and over and over at her. Draco looked back up at the sparks which were fading by now, and saw Hermione was no longer there. He hung his head in shame. Then the game began and due to all his mixed-up feelings Draco didn't catch the snitch. Hufflepuff won the match.

Meanwhile Hermione walked back up to the school, with her friends helping her. They took her up to the common room and sat her down on the sofa. They hugged her as she cried. After a while she stopped momentarily and thanked her friends before going up to her dormitory. She went in and went though her things to find a photo-album. She stared at the front cover and knew inside were pictures of herself and her parents. She threw it in anger. If she wasn't a muggle-born then maybe she and the real Draco could have had a chance. She climbed into bed and fell asleep.

The next day she woke up and showered to clean herself. She didn't leave her room for the entire day though, but stayed up there reading instead, ignoring her room-mates.

On Monday she left her dormitory and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast before lessons. As she walked there, people passed her, laughing and pointing. She kept her head down. In the Great Hall more people laughed at her and whispered to each other. Draco looked up at her and Pansy whispered at him.

"People like her don't belong in our world Draco."

Draco looked at Pansy and shook his head slightly as he left the Great Hall. Hermione ate her own breakfast and tried to ignore it all. It increased when her friends arrived, but they just told her to ignore it; which she tried to. The day was hard for her as the whispers and laughter followed her everywhere.

For the entire school week people stared at her, whispered to each other, pointed and laughed. Draco wouldn't even look at her, but avoided her completely. Pansy and her friends would glare at Hermione when they saw her, with smug expressions on their faces. Hermione cried daily that week.

She was grateful though that each night she could retire to Harry and Ron's dormitory, where she knew her two best friends would be. She also knew Dean, Seamus and Neville were nice boys who wouldn't laugh at her. She couldn't face entire evenings in the common room or even in her own dormitory which she shared with four other girls.

Several times during the week Draco sat in his room with a piece of parchment in front of him, trying to write a letter. Each time it always read,

**Dear Hermione,**

At the top but Draco couldn't think of the right words to say, so he would always drop his quill and screw the paper up before throwing it away.

On Thursday night up in the boy's dormitory Hermione sat reading a book. Harry and Ron watched her, concerned. She looked fine on the outside but they knew she wasn't. Four schooldays of what she'd been taking would really affect a person.

"What are you doing?" Harry finally asked.

"I'm trying to read." Hermione snapped.

"I meant, what are you doing with your life?" Harry said, ignoring the tone Hermione used; he and Ron knew she was stressed and upset.

"I'm a know-it-all. I'm doing what know-it-all's do best Harry. Reading."

"Hermione, what's gotten into you? You don't even realize how blessed you are. You've got your parents and your friends behind you. We have faith in you. You've got to have faith in yourself." Ron said inspirationally. Hermione smiled at them as if to say 'Thank You' but carried on reading anyway. Just then, she read a sentence in the book that stuck out.

'Don't let the fear of making a mistake keep you from doing what's needed.'

She said it aloud to herself as the other three boys that share the dormitory came in.

"Hey Hermione." Seamus greeted her, used to her presence in their dormitory, and also used to receiving help from the knowledgeable girl. "Could you maybe help me with some schoolwork?"

"No, I can't sorry." Hermione said "I'm not that girl anymore. I'm not some know-it-all. There's more to me than that. I've got to go everyone. See you tomorrow." Hermione said, standing up off Harry's bed. She hugged her two friends before leaving. Just before leaving she turned to everyone. "Oh, and Seamus, it's nothing against you. I'll help you other times. Just not tonight. Sorry. Maybe Neville can help." She smiled at Neville. "He's smart too." Neville looked proud as she left. Hermione made her way out of the boys section and across the common room into the girls. She went straight to bed.

The next day Friday was the same as every other day that week but Hermione wasn't affected anymore.

That evening she entered the Great Hall for dinner with a purpose, and person she wanted to find was already in the great hall. Hermione stomped her way over to the Slytherin table. Right up to Draco. She stood across from him. He looked up and noticed her, standing straight away. People turned around to stare.

"Hermione, I know you think I'm some," he started.

"Coward? Phony? Liar? Fake?" Hermione finished for him.

"Okay, just listen." Draco tried to defend himself.

"No, you listen. You turned out to be exactly who I thought you were. I never pretended to be somebody else. It's been me all along. And it was me who was hurt in front of everybody. Look, I didn't come here to yell at you, okay? I know what it feels like to be afraid to show who you are. I was. But not anymore. And the thing is, I don't care what people think about me... because I believe in myself. And I know that things are going be okay. It's you that I feel sorry for. Anyway, I know that guy that sent those letters is somewhere inside of you, but, I can't wait for him... because waiting for you is useless and disappointing." Hermione said loudly. Then, she walked away.

"Hermione!" Draco called out her name. She kept on walking. Once outside the doors Harry and Ron rushed to see her.

"Hey, we thought you could use a friend." They said together, hugging her. She smiled.

"Thanks. Let's do something tomorrow."

"Well, tomorrow is the Hogsmeade visit, so how about we go there tomorrow." Ron offered.

Hermione nodded, smiling for the first time in a week.


	16. Chapter 16

(This is my Harry Potter/Cinderella Story fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Basically, this is the plotline of A Cinderella Story but to Harry Potter, with some slight alterations.

This is the last chapter. I'm sorry it's short, but I couldn't drag it out. Overall the story is okay, but it's not brilliant so I apologise once again to everyone reading it.

I don't own the characters; they belong to JK Rowling and her fabulous imagination. The plotline isn't mine either. So nothing belongs to me really.)

Chapter Sixteen

The next morning Hermione woke up, happy. It was a week since Draco had found out she was Misunderstood Muggle-born, but she'd 'explained' herself now, so she felt better. She got ready for Hosgmeade and met her friends in the common room. They headed down to the meeting point for Hogsmeade. Draco was among the seventh year's who were going, as the novelty of Hogsmeade wore off with age. Pansy, Millicent, Vincent, Gregory, Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, Padma, Susan, Hannah, Ernie and several others were also going.

"Draco and I are nearly an item again. It isn't official or anything, but soon we will be. Maybe at the end of this visit." Pansy whispered to her friends.

Draco stood with Crabbe and Goyle, frustrated that he was still living up to the reputation. He also desperately wanted to talk to Hermione _'to kiss Hermione'_ now that she was here.

Hermione kept looking over at Draco. She couldn't handle it. It was so hard, having him this close and yet not being able to talk to him, touch him, hold him, smell him…love him.

"I'm sorry guys, I can't go to Hogsmeade." Hermione said. "Not…not whilst Draco is there and I can't be with him. Sorry."

Harry and Ron shared glances.

"We'll tell you how it goes." They finally said in unison. Hermione smiled at their likeness to the Weasley twins once again. She started to walk away from the crowd back to the school. Draco noticed her leaving. He turned back and looked at his friends. His eyes took in Crabbe and Goyle, then Pansy.

"See you guys." He said, before walking quickly away in Hermione's direction. She hadn't noticed him until she turned back at the doors to wave at Harry and Ron. That's when she saw Draco, as did several members of the crowd, including her friends.

"Draco!" Pansy called out as well as Vincent Crabbe. He ignored them and walked right up to Hermione.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." Draco replied as he reached his hands up to stroke Hermione's cheeks before kissing her in front of everyone as if to show everybody that love can conquer all, that blood should not create divides and that waiting for someone is not useless or disappointing. It only makes things more worthwile. "Sorry I made you wait so long." He said after pulling away from the kiss that left both feeling warm and tingly.

"It's okay." Hermione said softly, kissing him again. Both were oblivious to everything. "I finally got my Romeo."

"And I finally got my Juliet." Draco said, smiling.

Following that day (where Hermione and Draco did actually end up going to Hogsmeade – together) everything sort of fell into place.

Hermione learn to accept that she was muggle-born and was happy for it, because despite that, she was still able to be with a pureblood like Draco. She kept her photo-album safe and never threw it about again. She'd also received a congratulations on her placement from her parents in the form of several books on healing. Hermione was glad she had her parents and didn't regret being muggle-born from there on in. Nor did she feel misunderstood anymore, because Draco totally understood her as did everyone else at school from there on in. Draco wasn't confused anymore either, because he finally knew who he was and was accepted for it also. Plus, he always had Hermione there to explain things if ever he needed her to.

Harry and Ron continued their relationships with Liz and Jemima and both couples got on increasingly well. Hermione's friends also passed their NEWTs at the end of the year. Harry continued on with his battle to defeat Voldemort and along with the Order of the Phoenix's help, as well as Hermione's, he managed to find the remaining horcruxes, which Ron helped destroy, and defeat Voldemort shortly after leaving Hogwarts in his seventh year. Peace reigned in the wizarding world and the importance of blood was lost. Harry was now definitely the hero of the wizarding world and he didn't mind at all, nor did Ron. Jemima quite liked the attention she received for being Harry's girlfriend, as did Liz; because she also received attention as a result of being Ron's fiancé, seeing as Ron destroyed two of the horcruxes and was also essential to defeating Voldemort.

Padma and Parvati both got expelled from Hogwarts for cheating on their NEWTs. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were also all expelled because they'd been cheating too. All five of them had got their hands on some time turners in knockturn alley, but they'd been dodgy time turners and as a result all five ended up in hospital, several students got freaked out and they were all accused of cheating and therefore expelled. Even if they hadn't had cheated, none would have passed because their answers were nearly all wrong anyway. None of them revised enough, not even the Patil twins who had gone 'downhill' in their seventh year. They all received their come-uppance for their wrong deeds.

Neville passed his NEWTs with flying colours and also got the girl; not Pansy, but Luna. Everyone else in the seventh year passed their NEWTs as well. It was on of the best year groups Hogwart's had ever had in terms of Outstanding pass grades.

As for Draco and Hermione, both passed their NEWTs with the highest grades in the year and Hermione also finally got her bracelet back. Now they're both at St Mungo's doing their healing apprenticeships and living happily ever after. Well, for now.


End file.
